Flooding: Experts Warn Of Epidemic As Corpses Float
The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has raised the alarm over the floods across Nigeria, warning the country was at a high risk of waterborne diseases.
The President of the NMA, Dr Uche Ojinmah, lamented that corpses were floating in floods, adding that the government should swing into action to prevent an epidemic.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund had a few days ago, said the floods, which had affected 34 out of the 36 states in the country, had displaced 1.3 million people.
The UN body said over 600 people had lost their lives, adding that over 200,000 houses had either been partially or fully damaged.
The NMA president said there were high risks of waterborne diseases in the country as a result of the floods.
Ojinmah said, “The wells and streams are already contaminated so there is a risk of waterborne diseases, especially in the affected states.
“Corpses are floating in the floods, especially in Bayelsa. The government needs to provide good camping, toilets, water and healthcare for them because they will need to be attended to medically for their health needs.”
Also, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Emeka Orji said that there were immediate and future implications and threats of the floods in the country.
“I must confess that we’ve not conducted any study to find out the effects of flooding in the country. Unfortunately, floods can lead to waterborne diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, and typhoid fever.
“The state and federal governments must proffer preventive measures to prevent this disaster from reoccurring. Usually, there’s a warning that the flooding was going to happen but if we have an adequate emergency response team, this would have been prevented. So, I blame the state and federal governments.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Medical Association in the FCT, Dr Muyiwa Komolafe, on his part said the floods would lead to pollution and waterborne diseases.
He said “Floods are not a new thing but this year’s case is high and it will definitely pollute the ground waters. That of this year is astronomical because of the water released from the dam. But we could have averted the disasters because we have forecasters that have predicted this.
“There will be pollution because most filling stations have their fuel reservoirs underground. Don’t forget that toilets and septic tanks are there, so it is certain that there will be waterborne diseases like cholera, and typhoid and anybody around the waters is at risk.