Nigeria’s health resources face collapse under climate strain; urgent action is critical for resilience.
Abuja (EPICSTORIAN) — At the closing of Nigeria’s 2024 Joint Annual Review on Climate Health, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, presented the Nigeria Climate Change and Health Vulnerability Assessment Report.
Describing climate change as a “wicked problem,” Pate emphasized its multifaceted nature, noting that “it interconnects with several other elements.”
The report highlights the worsening effects of climate change on Nigeria’s health systems, marking a call for urgent intervention.
“Climate change is a wicked problem. It’s a wicked problem in the sense that it is complex, it’s multi-perceptive. It interconnects with several other elements and, when we solve one, on another problem actually features,” he stated.
Pate pointed out that the crises from these changes are leaving Nigeria’s public health resources stretched and inadequately prepared for the next wave of threats.
He referenced severe climate-related health impacts, from increased respiratory infections due to rising temperatures to the devastating floods.
The report outlines an “ambitious federal” plan to strengthen primary healthcare and expand vaccination for women, but the minister’s appeal for further support reveals the enormity of the challenge.
Also speaking at the event, Prof. Pate cited the recent outbreak of infectious diseases witnessed Maiduguri and a few of other states within Nigeria.
“Whether its in the injuries that we saw in Maiduguri and a few of other states this year or the flooding or in parts of Lagos State where we saw cholera outbreaks.
“Because of rising water table, whether its in the protracted cycle of transmission of malaria or the dengue fever that we saw in Sokoto a few months ago. Or flooding that destroys farmlands. So this is a very complex issue,” he explained.
Nigeria’s effective Climate Health Plan Determines its Future
Pate’s call to development partners highlights Nigeria’s critical need for collaboration to bolster resilience in the health sector.
While this initiative is seen as a positive step, experts warn that without swift, scalable actions, Nigeria’s climate-induced health challenges will only deepen in the coming years, testing the country’s ability to protect its most vulnerable citizens.
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