Environment
DAVID Karatu, Director of Public Health, Gombe State Ministry of Health, has advised residents of the state to imbibe good hygiene to stay healthy during the wet season.
Karatu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday, that good hygiene would help to reduce exposure to germs and viruses, and to prevent the spread of illnesses.
He said that the wet season was often perceived in African culture as a blessing, but that heavy downpour could lead to flooding and health challenges.
“Rain is perceived as a blessing, especially in African settings because it allows agrarian societies to be productive, but there are health implications.
“When a large volume of water goes beyond where it is expected to be, it may have certain challenges that adversely impact on health.
“Some of the immediate outcomes of flooding are the collapse of structures, system disruption, displacement of individuals, injuries, and even death.
“There are certain disease conditions that usually happen in such situations, such as cholera and malaria. Wet environments can be quite conducive for disease vectors such as mosquitoes.
“The displacement of people can subject them to live in congregate settings if there is flooding, so all these health implications will require a certain level of planning if the adverse effects are to be mitigated,” he said.
The public health expert advised residents to evolve measures to mitigate the adverse effects of flooding.
”They should avoid to live in flood-prone areas. avoid blocking drainages, and stop building on waterways,” he said.
He said that during rainy seasons, sources of safe water could be contaminated when drainages overflow their banks and mix with sewage systems and clean water.
”This is capable of resulting in health challenges such as cholera outbreak,” he said.
“It is advisable to get our drinking water from potable and clean sources, take personal hygiene seriously by regularly washing our hands and ensuring good sanitary habits.
“Some diseases use intermediaries called vectors such as mosquitoes. People should cut grasses to low levels, dispose of containers that hold water, and serve as breeding spots for mosquitoes and other flying vectors.
Karatu advised people with symptoms of fever conditions to quickly seek medical attention and not resort to traditional or self-medications to avoid compromising the kidney or liver.
He commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for engaging stakeholders in Gombe to brainstorm on plans to mitigate flooding in the state based on NiMet predictions for 2024. (NAN)
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-May 20, 2024 @ 12:50 GMT|
Tags: Dr David Karatu NEMA
