By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The Borno State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry for Environment and the UK FCCD Lafita Program, organized a one-day sensitization workshop on climate change and its health effects.
The workshop aimed to raise awareness among stakeholders, including health workers, specialists, and environmentalists, on the health implications of climate change and its prevention.
Director General of the LAFIYA Project, Dr. Langana Bukar, stated that the workshop was timely and apt, given the recent flood disaster in Maiduguri, which was caused by climate change.
Dr. Bukar emphasized that many people are unaware of the interwoven relationship between climate change and health.
“This workshop is timely and apt because of the recent flood disaster that ravaged the state which was also as a result of climate change and the health challenges that may follow “, Bukar said.
According to him, many people don’t know that the relationship between climate change and health are interwoven, as such climate affects the environment which also emit florichorinc, carbon dioxide among other cardiovascular diseases.
Director General of the Borno State Green Green Wall Agency, Ambassador Usman Aliyu, highlighted that the environment has three components: physical, biological, and socioeconomic.
Ambassador Aliyu warned against the use of chemicals in farming, which can lead to soil fertility loss, groundwater contamination, and disease outbreaks.
“The use of chemical fertilizer, pesticide also have a long run effect on soil fertility, contamination of ground water and destruction of Soil structure which brings disease such as cancer, gestro disease, among others”, he said.
The workshop emphasized the importance of public awareness campaigns, training, and implementation of strategies to mitigate climate change and its health effects. The stakeholders were urged to step down the training and knowledge to their communities.
This initiative is crucial in addressing the impact of climate change on health, especially in the wake of recent flood disasters. By raising awareness and promoting strategies for mitigation, we can work towards creating a healthier and more sustainable environment. ¹
