Dr Samson Adeyemi of the Respiratory Unit, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) speaks on health and climate change in this interview with OLATUNDE ODEBIYI
With the changes in climate, many lives are affected across the world. The climate is changing as the world becomes warmer. These changes, in a number of ways, have implications on human health and it is the responsibility of everybody to protect the earth’.
Why do we need to take climate change seriously?
Extreme weather affects food, water and air, it exerts strong influences on health; increased death in extreme heat and cold season and in natural disaster such as floods, damps and drought. It also causes borne diseases such as malaria and other existing and emerging infectious diseases
What is climate?
Climate is the modifiable physical, chemical and biological agents surrounding human.
What is health?
WHO defines health as a state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well being and not just mere absence of diseases.
What diseases are prone to climate change?
There are different diseases in the word but some occur more often when there are changes in climate, be it too cold or too hot. Some of these diseases are cardiovascular disease this is a heart disease that affects the heart and collective blood vessels. The respiratory system such as the nose, trachea and lungs also get affected by climate changes. Asthma is a respiratory disease and is also prone to weather.
Others include skin cancer which could be gotten from direct ultra violet rays from the sun, the central nervous system which affect the brain and the spinal cord; cough, catarrh, sore throat and other respiratory tract disorders are also prone to climate changes. Weather also affects nutrition.
Infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue (mosquito prone disease), atopod burn diseases, diarrhoea, typhoid, cholera and sometimes cancer have more chances of affecting the human health in extreme weather conditions.
How does climate change affect human health?
Climate change like flood has led to the death of many people, it could lead to malaria, destruction of properties which affects people psychologically thus affecting health.
Flood can also lead to damping and this causes eye blindness, bladed cancer as well as schistomies (blood droppings in urine).
Flood destroys farm products which leads to reduction in food production hence circulation of food is reduced. Not eating well and not having proper balanced diet makes humans unhealthy.
Another way climate change affects health is by heat. Heat can lead to heat stroke (blockage in the blood vessel supplying the blood) and acute coronary syndrome (heart attack), cardiac errythmies (abnormality in the rhythm of the heart).
Asthmatic patients experience major attacks in the dry season. This is because there is increase in the ground ozone which could irritate the respiratory system. There is also release of pollen grain in heat. Pollen grains from flowers and grass trigger their attack.
How should human live to prevent themselves from these diseases?
No matter the changes in the weather, do not allow yourself to be psychologically affected. Stress should be properly managed, be in a relaxed mood always and get involved in exercises.
Prevent yourself from any form of dust; exhaust from smoke, cars, industry, especially asthmatic patients. Do not be too exposed to extreme cold and extreme sunlight. Go for regular medical checkups such as blood pressure, sugar level. This will help people to keep themselves in good health
People should ensure proper personal hygiene and have balanced diet always. They should eat fruits and vegetables, take less of salt, manage stress and give quality time to relaxation.
What can the government do to assist Nigerians to live in good health despite the changes in climate?
Government should provide all necessary amenities that would make life more comfortable for people even in climate change. There should be regular provision of good food, water, electricity, hospitals and primary health care (PHC) centres.
