How Climate Change Affects the Health of Nigerians -Agbo Emmanuel Terfa Edited by Ezebuiro Lois

Climate change has become a major challenge worldwide. Human activities have impacted both directly and indirectly on health the effects of climate change in Nigeria are more devastating because of their low coping capability. Evidence shows that climate change impacts in Nigeria arise from climate change related causes, such as a change in temperature, rainfall, sea level rise, extreme weather events and increase in health risks.

Health risks such as cerebra-spinal meningitis, high blood pressure and morbidity were identified as the direct consequences of climate change. Evidence has established that people’s health can be affected by climate change therefore vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and young children, older adults and individuals with chronic sickness and disabilities have been identified to be at high risk. A study by Omoruyi and Onafaljo explained that some of the major consequences of climate change in Nigeria: cerebra-spinal meningitis, cardiovascular respirator disorder of the elderly people, skin cancer, high blood pressure, malaria and cholera.

Cerebro-spinal meningitis is one of the infectious diseases suspected to be caused by climate conditions have been shown to affect water-borne diseases in Nigeria because of excessive heat.

Climate conditions have been shown to affect water-borne diseases in Nigeria. Changes in climatic conditions lengthen the transmission seasons of important vector- bone diseases and alter their geographic range, malaria has been identified to be caused by climate conditions caused by a unicellular organism known as plasmodium and transmitted by the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito.

Another major effect of climate change is found among aged persons in Nigeria. According to Aina and Adewoyin the vulnerable age is more at risk of climate related diseases because of the effect of their age on their physiological and immunological compositions.                         

Finally, the health risks associated with climate change in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. All populations are affected by climate change, particularly the vulnerable like the children and the elderly people.

Reference

1. www.intechopen.com/books/environmental factors-affecting human health/ investigating-effects of climate change on health risks in Nigeria.