By Dele Ogbodo
In what can be described as Nigeria’s worst environmental disaster caused by the recent flooding in Borno State, adjoining states and communities resulting to the death of 300 persons with over 2,000,000 displaced, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, on Wednesday dispatched a crack team from the Environment Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), to Maiduguiri and its environs as part of Federal Government’s efforts to salvage the impact caused by flood in that flank of the country.
The others expected to join EHCON in the rescue mission after the ensuing post trauma impact according to the Minister included the department of pollution Control and Environmental Health, Department of Flood, Erosion and Coastal Zone Management and the National Park Services.
Addressing the Registrar/CEO of EHCON, Dr. Yakubu Mohammed Baba and his team, stakeholders and Journalists at the Headquarters of the Ministry, at the commissioning of the team in Abuja, Salako, acknowledged that several drums of chlorine, sanitizers, face masks, advisory, sensitization materials/flyers and other relief materials that will help in restoring health, sanity and order in the affected areas.
He said: “We wish to commiserate with the governments and people of the states affected by the devastating flooding ravaging Nigerian communities over the lives lost, those sick, injured or traumatized as well as damage to property and livelihoods resulting therefrom.
“In what is regarded as the worst floods in 30 years, the flood has left millions of people without shelter, clean water, food, health care, and education.”
He reiterated that over 1,000,000 people have been affected with another 1,000,000 displaced while nearly 300 people dead also leaving about 80,000 houses have been damaged across 176 Local Government Areas in 29 states, adding that the scenario is indeed worrisome.
As the Ministry responsible for protecting the environment, the Minister, said government is concerned with the happenings before, during and aftermath of extreme weather events and emergency situations not including flooding.
“As we are witnessing the ‘During’ and ‘After’ periods, it is necessary to point out that besides the economic loss, this flood episode like others before, has potential to usher in perhaps more worrisome situations of deadly Flood-related Diseases and health conditions.” The Minister added.
He recalled that the Minister of Environment Mallam Balarabe Lawal, led a delegation to Maiduguri last week for an on the spot assessment.
While sounding caution, Salako, urged the people, authorities and stakeholders within the zone to be wary of Diarrhea, Cholera that may occur in an epidemic proportion arising from the use of water already contaminated for cooking and drinking.
He said: “Similarly, Diseases like Malaria, Hook Worm and Tape Worm Diseases are likely to be on the rise on account of increase of Parasitic activities arising from the inbalance in the habitat of their Agents. Hepatitis A and B could spread in an acute form where people are bound to use water contaminated with faecal matter and/or when they rapidly have to share food and food containers that may have been contaminated with the Virus.
“Yet another group are Silicosis, Asbestosis, Asthma and Cancer which may prevail as a result of People’s exposure to Chemical Substances washed into Flood waters those impairing the Cardiopulmonary functions of the human system.
According to him, the Diseases and health conditions set out in the preceding paragraphs are premeditated by factors inherent with flood situations – contamination of water by Micro-organisms ranging from Bacteria and Viruses thus causing water-borne infections; Insect-borne Parasites like Plasmodium carried by House Flies that cause vector-borne infections like Malaria and parasitic infections such as Ascariasis, Schistosomiasis caused by Helminths known as Ascaris lumbricoides and Flukes.
He said: “It is well established that the flood waters which stagnate are breeding sites for insect vectors such as mosquitoes, helminths and microbes such as Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholera, Salmonella typhi, Hepatitis A & E viruses, Polio virus that lead to Diarrhea, Cholera, Typhoid Fever, Hepatitis A & E Diseases respectively. Food poisoning, chemical poisoning, arthritis, Rheumatism, allergic reactions, mycotoxins, etc. are also among the conditions negatively affecting human health arising from flooding.
“Physical, chemical and psychological hazards abound post flooding episodes. Top soils are washed into water bodies such as rivers, streams and ponds thereby aggravating the overflow of the banks, open wells also receive their fair share.
“In the same manner, solid wastes and debris are also introduced into such water bodies thereby introducing chemical substances.
“Fertilizers, herbicides and other agro allied products from flooded farmlands constitute chemical hazards which are introduced into water bodies as well. Specifically, contaminants such as heavy metals (Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium), Nitrates and Nitrites, volatile organic compounds, Asbestos, Silicon, Chlorofluorocarbons pose grave risk to human health.
“In the same vein, radioactive materials washed from hospitals, construction sites, industries and mining sites among others impact the environment negatively.
“Injuries arising from accidents like fall, drowning in flood waters are hazards of public health importance. Additionally, as a result of these exposures, terrestrial and aquatic habitats are destroyed. Psychological hazards such as trauma, depression, stress, are common after-effects associated with flood disasters.
“Consequently, the hazards enunciated in the preceding paragraphs leads to disease conditions affecting populations exposed to flooding.
“For instance Increase insect bites and vermin attacks poses more danger on the affected population – venoms, secretions, toxins are introduced into the human body system causing blisters, skin rashes, dermatitis, fever, nausea, vomiting and even death. Another important vector borne disease is Leptospirosis which is an upper respiratory tract infection cause by infected animals when human come in contact with excremental materials of dogs, rats, livestock and wildlife.”
The Minister underscored that it has become imperative for the Ministry to issue this environmental health advisory that will help mitigate the devastating effects associated with the menace of flooding at both the community and external levels, adding that the advisory has been put together in form of handbills and will be translated into Hausa and other languages for circulation.
He explained: “In line with the presidential directives and in furtherance of the delivery of our Ministerial Mandates as part of the Key Priorities of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Ministry has mobilized technical and material support to the people and government of Borno State to mitigate the negative impact of the flood.”