The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that 1 out of 4 people (representing 25%) who died in the country could have been saved, “if we address environmental determinants of health due to climate change”.
Technical Lead, Public Health and Environment Programme of WHO Nigeria, Dr. Edwin Edeh disclosed this at a two day Capacity Building Workshop for Health Journalists held in Abuja.
Edeh who berated the rate at which young Nigerians between the ages of 14 and 25 were dying explained that this was not unconnected with the negative impact of climate change on public health.
In his presentation titled, “The Interconnection Between Climate Change and Public Health”, he informed that these negative impact led to approximately 250,000 additional deaths annually.
Also, the direct damage costs to health would amount to US $2-4 billion per year by 2030. Furthermore, “3.6billion people already live in areas highly susceptible to climate change”, the public health expert said.
He further explained that, malnutrition and food borne diseases, Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), mental and psychological health, respiratory illnesses, heat related illnesses, injury and mortality from extreme weather events were all consequences of climate change on public health.
Dr. Edeh revealed that, 29% of Nigeria’s national disease burden was linked to risks factors from the environment.
Also, there were 21%+ anticipated burden of disease burden in Nigeria due to climate change, in addition to that, “94% of health facilities in Nigeria do not have basic water sanitation and hygiene services”, which exasperates the situation.
He however said, “we have the potential to manage many of the health risks of climate change through adaptation actions and building climate resilience by reducing exposure and vulnerability”.
On his part, the Technical Officer of AMR at the WHO Nigeria Office, Laxmikant Chavan disclosed that the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) pandemic had taken over the big 3: Malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis.
He defined AMR as the ability of micro-organisms to withstand antimicrobial treatments. This happens when bacteria change and become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause.
This, he said could be caused by over-prescribing of antibiotics, poor infection control in hospitals and clinics, over use of antibiotics in livestock and fish farming, lack of hygiene and poor sanitation, patients not finishing their treatment, among others.
According to Chavan, “AMR deaths in Nigeria is higher than deaths from enteric infections, respiratory infections, tuberculosis, maternal and neonatal disorders, neglected tropical diseases, malaria and cardiovascular diseases.
“AMR have devastating impact on the economy in terms of annual reduction of GDP between 1.1% -3.8% by 2030 in low and medium income countries and could push up to 28million people (mostly in developing countries) into extreme poverty”.
He also disclosed that, “AMR could result in US $1 trillion of additional health care costs per year and predicted to cause an 11% decline in livestock production in low income countries”.
Chavan therefore urged the Health Journalists to simplify the AMR issue for the public, to generate interest, educate and increase visibility.
