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Everything, they say, has its time because
there is time for everything. There is time to mourn just as there
is time to laugh. There is also time to rain as there is a period of
sweltering heat. Since the stopping of the rains sometime in October
last year, inhabitants of the North have been experiencing hot
weather. Experts say every season has its advantages and
disadvantages. However, this year’s heat period is getting too long
and people have begun to murmur. Our reporters, Rakiya Saminu Daura,
Umar AsheMi, Bashir Bello, Moh’d Ibrahim, Awuese AdEkaa, Evelyn
Okakwu & Longtong Ibrahim talked to Kaduna residents how they feel
under the scorching heat.
There is no doubt the fact that climate change
is affecting human beings across the globe. But the effect of the
climate change is more severe in the Northern part of Nigeria. The
severity of the heat is such that inhabitants of the region are
afraid of the possible outbreak of cerebro meningitis and measles.
Sequel to the hot weather, most residents of Kaduna now sleep
outside in their compounds. Mr. Nelson Friday, of The Market
magazine, Kaduna told New Nigerian on Sunday crew that “during heat
period, people feel uncomfortable. I personally hate heat season
because apart from the fact that it comes with various diseases, I
am not always comfortable during hot weather.”
Anaba Georgina, a resident of Kawo also shares the same view with
Nelson, saying that human beings are prone to different diseases
like meningitis and measles during heat than any other period.
According to her, not many people can stand or enjoy hot weather,
because during heat, people take a lot of water and “unfortunately,
for the past three months we have not had pipe-borne water in our
area. The worst of it all is that there is constant power outage. We
may have power supply for one hour in three days.”
In contrast, Usman Garba, a resident of Tudun-Wada said he enjoys
heat period than any other season. He therefore wondered why many
people complain about the season as he always sleeps comfortably no
matter the heat in his room. Usman only complained about the
activity of mosquitoes during heat time saying “my problem during
heat period is mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are always on rampage during
this season more than any other period.”
A medical officer at a health medical store in Kaduna, one Mrs.
Okpara said this year’s heat is becoming unbearable. She pointed out
that the situation is becoming severe as PHCN has refused to supply
power to many parts of Kaduna. Okpara also said that the hot season
always comes with diverse sicknesses. Some of the health cases that
normally surface during the period, she said, include malaria, which
occurs due to mosquitoes bite, adding that the mosquitoes breed very
well during hot season. Another disease that breaks out during hot
season is the eruption of body rashes. The rashes irritate and make
people to be uncomfortable, she added.
There is also what Okpara called sun burn which affects the skin.
This, she says, occurs mainly as a result of the heat. Meningitis is
another disease that attacks people during hot period. Okpara also
pointed out that the disease is common during this season because
the bacteria which cause the disease multiply in their great number
during the hot weather. When it grows and multiply, they can easily
affect people like pneumonia which occurs during the cold season.
Again, hot season is the period that people drink a lot of water as
a result of the dryness. Therefore, if there is no much water or
fluid in the body it can lead to dehydration.
Okpara, however, suggested that to avoid the problem associated with
hot weather, people should use bed nets to prevent mosquito bite
during the period; the use of insecticides and the application of
creams on the body just as dehydration can also be prevented through
taking of much water or fluid to replace the lost one and meningitis
can be avoided by taking inoculation or vaccines as well as allowing
adequate ventilation in the house by opening doors and windows, she
said.
The medical officer also advised people to always wear light dresses
and clothes and use medicated powder, especially for children to
keep their body free from rashes.
Speaking in the same vein, Kyenpia Ibrahim, a student, simply
remarked that, “there is time for everything. The harmattan has come
and gone, and the hot season is here with us. Definitely, sooner
than later, it will go and we shall begin to have the rains.” That
does not mean Kyenpia does not feel the other side of the hot
season, as the season has forced forced her to change her mode of
dressing from thick to light clothes.
Aminu Mohammed, a job seeker, in Kaduna said due to the hot weather,
he takes his bath many times in a day. He contended that the season
forces him to sleep outside in the compound due to lack of
inadequate ventilation.
43-year old Ismail Ibrahim who resides at Tudun-Wada, Kaduna stated
that the hot weather has changed the lives of people. Malam Ismail
who is also a petty trader said the only bad side of the hot season
is the various diseases that break out during the period. He
mentioned the diseases to include child killers like measles and
malaria fever.
In like manner, Malam Umar, a resident of Ungwan Shanu, also
bemoaned the current hot weather as he explained how people are
facing hard times. He remarked that power outage and acute shortage
of water in Kaduna have worsened the climate.
Malam Umar expressed the need for people to protect themselves,
especially children from hot weather-related diseases. He was of the
opinion that the hot weather may not have serious effect on the
people if there is adequate water supply and un-interrupted power.
“There is no power supply from PHCN and no water from water board.
That is why people are feeling this season badly”.
Jesse Uankhoba is a businessman. He reveals that he feels really
uncomfortable during this hot season. He said the weather has made
him to do things that ordinarily he would not do. “When I come back
from work, I take a walk around my area to receive fresh air and
whenever I want to go to bed, I always leave my door widely open
until early hours of the morning. I also take a lot of water.”
Even when there is NEPA light and he has to put on his fan, he said
the air that the fan circulates is not just enough to guarantee a
good rest. “Even when there is light, I still have to open the door
to let fresh air inside so that the fan can circulate it. I enjoy
the natural air more because it enables me to have a good night
rest,” he said.
Dr. Joseph Dogo is a medical practitioner based in Kaduna. He
explained the side effect of hot weather, stressing that the period
could breed various diseases like meningitis. The disease, he said,
is membranous covering the brain, so any infection of the brain is
always referred to as meningitis. According to him, there are
different causes of meningitis just as he explained that the cause
of the disease in the Northern part of the country is bacterial
infections and such bacteria include neisserial meningitis,
streptococcal infection and in children, there is what he called e-colei
among others, emphasizing that bacteria is the main cause of the
infection in our environment.
Oladele Akami told our reporter that the weather is having a serious
effect on members of his family. “My children and I cannot sleep
especially at night due to heat. We have not had power supply
constantly in our area in the last six months, so, the fans are not
working and there is no way one can get cold water to quench his
thirst.”
Dr. Gabriel Onuminya of the specialist hospital, Kaduna who spoke on
the issue advised Kaduna residents to ensure that the rooms are
given enough ventilation during the current hot weather situation.
“I can only advice residents in Kaduna to always open their doors
and windows of their houses to give room for adequate ventilation,”
he advised.
“We in the medical sector know the effect of this season and
therefore people should not close their doors and windows
unnecessarily if they are not using air-conditioner in their houses.
During this period, there could be outbreak of diseases like
malaria, meningitis and measles. It is therefore pertinent for
people to be more careful about their health because health, they
say, is wealth, and a nation of healthy people is a wealthy nation.”
However, as human beings are bemoaning the hot weather, trees and
plants are not left out in experiencing the scorching heat.
Investigation showed that Fulani herdsmen are finding it difficult
to feed their cattle as grasses and leaves have withered, forcing
them to travel long distances in search of pastures. Hamid Sule, a
herdsman told our reporter at Ungwan Yero, along Kaduna-Zaria
expressway that they are having hard times as grasses and leaves
have dried up just as their animals are not taking their meals. “We
also have to go very far to get water for the cattle to drink. In
fact, we are praying for early rains but is appears it would take
time before the rains fall this year. As you are aware, we are
already in April and there is no sign of rain in Kaduna. This is to
say that hard times are ahead of us,” he declared.
All said and done, people are bemoaning the hot weather which has
forced many family members to abandon their rooms at night to sleep
outside. But thanks to Operation Yaki teams which are checking the
activities of criminal elements in Kaduna. But, they cannot stop
mosquitoes from making feast of those who sleep outside without
covering themselves properly. |
