As the severity of heat temperature keeps increasing, the people of Kano state have been advised to adopt precautionary measures in order to protect themselves against the negative consequences.
The Kano state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, gave the advice in a press release issued from the public relations unit of the ministry and made available to the media outfits Wednesday.
In a statement issues by information officer, Ministry of Health, Ibrahim Abdullahi, quoted Dr. Labaran as saying that the scale of harsh temperature of heat has begun since March this year, causing increase of malaria and mortalities.
He added that the ministry of health has consequently embarked on investigations to unravel the cause.
The commissioner noted that the people of Kano were very much aware of the fact that these three months – March, April and May, and the beginning of June – were the months of excessive heat that brings about so many health complications, including malaria and meningitis cerebrum.
It could be noted that in the past three month, malaria prevalence has dropped because of winter season, but now the disease is on increase due to severity of the unbearable heat as the temperature has reached the level that it could affect the brain, liver or kidney, so much that if any of these organs is affected by malaria, death could occur.
“Currently, the intensity of the heat in Kano state is between 43 and 45 degree, and the air in circulation is dry without moisture. This unfavourable condition could cause scratch in the nose of a person which, if unluckily, he inhales diseases causing meningitis and go to his brain, he could contract meningitis. That was the reason people are witnessing an increased of fever, severe headache, fainting, and loss of life,” said Dr. Labaran.
He also noted that the excessive heat brings what is called heat-stroke as a result of shortage of blood and water in the body, which causes brain damage, especially among elderly people and those working under the sun.
The commissioner advised people to ensure that they protect themselves against mosquito bites by sleeping under treated nets, covering doors and windows with nets to block mosquito from entering the rooms and use of insecticides, etc.
He also people to report any person with symptoms of malaria to the health facility for timely treatment, adding that people should not allow the case to reach that level in which nothing could be done to arrest it.
On meningitis cerebrum, Dr. Labaran called on people to shun overcrowding in rooms and halls, especially those with little ventilation system, adding that as soon as a person has severe fever and headache, should be taken to the hospital to ascertaining that he did not contract meningitis.
