By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
The Borno State Ministry for Health in collaboration with the Ministry for Environment and UK FCCD Lafita Programme have organized a one day sensitization workshop for stakeholders on climate change on health to curtail outbreak of diseases that might occur due to the recent flood disaster that ravaged Maiduguri city, the state capital.
The workshop which was on climate and its health effects was organized for health workers, specialist and environmentalists, including experts and specialists from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), NLC and NUJ among others.
Speaking at the one day sensitization workshop held at the Pineapple Hotel, Maiduguri on Thursday, LAFIYA Project Director General, Dr. Langana Bukar said, ”the aim of the workshop is to sensitize people on the health implication of climate change, the causes and prevention.
“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.
He added that the stakeholders were carefully selected which consist of community, religious and traditional leaders, health and environment experts, as well as Civil Society Organisation, clubs and associations, so that they will step down the training and knowledge to their communities.
In his remarks as Guest Speaker, the Director General, Borno State Green Wall Agency, Ambassador Usman Aliyu said the environment has three components which consist of physical, biological and socioeconomic component, pointing out that, if anything affects one, it affects others.
While warning against the use of chemical in the farm, Dr Bukar said the recent Maiduguri flood also has its health effects as the flood will be a breeding ground for many diseases.
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“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 urged the general public to use alternative biological chemical such as biocha, manure planting of tree to maintain funa and floors..
He also called on the participants to stepdown what they learnt to their communities.
