Doctors warn against looming epidemics in flooded areas

Some doctors inLagos State havewarned that the flood ravaging some parts of the country is capable of causing epidemics in the affected areas.They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that the ravaging floods could cause diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, upper respiratory tract infection and even death. NAN also reported that the flooding had affected 21 states of the federation, resulting in 148 deaths, according to the Red Cross Society.Some of the affected states are Lagos, Anambra, Oyo, Kogi, Niger, Kwara, Benue, Edo, Adamawa, Zamfara, and Delta.Also, hectares of farmlands, roads, silos and animals worth billions of naira have been washed away in those areas considered to be the food basket of the nation. The doctors also expressed concern over possible food shortage which could lead to malnutrition, epidemic outbreak and environmental destruction.Dr Oseni Saliu, a medical practitioner at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, said that floods could lead to contamination of water and pave way for water-borne diseases.``It also affects agricultural produce where food will not be available in such an environment,'' he said.Dr Saliu said that the best thing to do during such disasters was to relocate residents from the areas prone to epidemic outbreak to a safe environment.He said that there was a need for the Federal Government to put in place adequate measures to identify the causes of such disasters and act promptly to avert further complications.Another doctor, Dr Ibrahim Ogunbi of the Family Medicine Department, LASUTH, said, ``basically, people will fall sick due to water-borne diseases and even die as a result of large intake of water into the body system.``Children and even adults are vulnerable to pneumonia and upper respiratory tract infections due to cold weather.'Ogunbi said that prompt medical aid would relieve some of the health implications.Dr Adedayo Adegbaju, a consultant psychologist, said that flood had inflicted psychological wounds on people who had lost their relations and properties.Adegbaju said that the flooding could also lead to psychiatric conditions on the part of the victims.``It could lead to depression and post-traumatic disorder when the person recounts his or her loss,'' he said.The consultant said that in such a situation, people should talk to a psychologist.Adegbaju said that such victims should also be referred to a psychiatrist for further treatment.
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