Health

By Aisar Fagge

Over 2 million people die every year across the globe as a result of zoonotic diseases that people get from food, water and mostly from their contacts with animals such as dogs, cats, cows and the meat they eat.

Dr Muhammad Adamu Abbas, Head of Department, Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Bayero University, Kano stated this during a monthly seminar organized by the Community Health Organization (CHR) in collaboration with Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Disease and Social Vices (YOSPIS), held on Wednesday, 20th July, 2022 at CHR’s conference room, Kano.

The aim of the seminar which was sponsored by Dr Aminu Magashi, the Coordinator of Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) is bring members of the academia, Civil Society Organizations, Non-governmental organizations and media practitioners to interact and proffer solutions to lingering problems around health, population and youth matters.

In his paper titled: Zoonotic Diseases: What are they & their effect on Health and Socio-economic Development,” Dr Abbas said zoonosis is an infectious disease that jumps from animals to humans in the form of virus, fungus, bacteria, parasite or from human environment. Deadly diseases such as Covid-19, Ebola, SARS, Anthrax, bird flu, Lassa fever are all zoonoses family.

Touching infected animals, mosquito bite, eating contaminated food, eggs or meat, polluted air or kissing sick pets such as dogs and cats are all means of transmission.

“Pregnant women, children of 5 years old or younger, people with weakened immune system and people who have regular contacts with animals have high risk of zoonotic diseases.”

According to the speaker, “Of every 4 emerging and re-emerging diseases, 3 are zoonoses while 60% of zoonoses are from animals – wild and pets. Similarly, 80% of bio-terrorism agents are pathogens of animal origin.”

Dr Abbas affirms that zoonoses force more danger to poor and vulnerable societies in Africa and Asia. But unfortunately poverty, poor health system and facilities worsen the situation.

In Nigeria, majority of the people are farmers. They have regular contacts with their animals. “North [for example] is the major supplier of meat to other parts of the country. In those days, there were people who check the health of an animal before and after it was slaughtered in order to protect people [from zoonotic diseases]. But nowadays because of too many slaughter houses and butchers, many animals are being eaten unchecked,” he lamented.

In order to tackle zoonotic diseases in countries like Nigeria, the speaker said, “educating the people and mass awareness, poverty reduction, collaboration between health workers and early detection of these diseases are of paramount importance”.

Many questions were asked by the participants and some of the ways to go forward is to sensitize people about the importance of hygiene and take the campaign to the slaughter houses, farmers and hunters.

By Aminu Shehu Karaye

You wake up at midnight with a running stomach, all sweating and with a terrible headache. You surrendered that it was typhoid and, of course, opened the first aid shelf and brought out some drugs to take. It was amoxicillin for typhoid and tetracycline for the running stomach. But you remembered that every Nigerian has got some malaria, so you brought out the artemether and took it also. However, are you aware of antimicrobic resistance?

Even among the literate, only a few understand the effects and dangers posed by antibiotic resistance. Especially in Nigeria, where awareness is low, the magnitude of antibiotic resistance is expected to increase considerably over the coming years due to excessive use of antibiotics and other practices that are said to trigger antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a general term used to describe the ability of microorganisms, including those that cause diseases (pathogens), to resist the effects of drugs that were once used to kill them or slow their activities. AMR is a worldwide concern and should be taken with all seriousness. The UN ad hoc interagency coordinating group on antimicrobial resistance warns that if action is not taken, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050 and damage the economy, similar to the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

Also, by 2030, AMR could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty. The World Health Organization identified misuse and overuse of antimicrobials; lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for both humans and animals; low-grade infection and disease prevention and control in healthcare facilities and farms; lack of access to quality, affordable medicines, vaccines, and diagnosis; lack of awareness and knowledge and lack of enforcement of legislation as the major drivers of AMR (WHO, 2021).

In Nigeria, people get antibiotics over the counter without a prescription from the appropriate specialist. An individual would take an antibiotic when he has a running stomach or even a mild headache. The misuse of antibiotics is one of the biggest causes of antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can also be transferred from animals to humans and vice-versa. Poultry is one of the leading industries that harbours these resistant bacteria. Due to our everyday association with poultry animals, we will likely get these bacteria into our bodies. Many other ways exist in which AMR can be established. However, it is our responsibility to curb this menace as we are the ones in danger!

Curbing the menace of AMR is everyone’s business. No matter how careful you are with antibiotics, you might buy and consume a chicken grown with antibiotics as a growth promoter, which will surely trigger resistance. Therefore, from farmers to healthcare workers to everyone else, we must all play our parts to control antimicrobial resistance.

In Nigeria, there is a need for appropriate bodies and the government to educate the masses and warn them about the dangers of antibiotic misuse. The government should also ban selling antibiotics over the counter, without doctors’ prescription, and see that previous restrictions on antibiotics are implemented.

No action today, no cure tomorrow!

Aminu Shehu Karaye wrote this article via aminushehukaraye@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Africa Heath Budget Network (AHBN) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to redouble efforts in determining to achieve the Family Planning (FP).

Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, the AHBN Coordinator, made the call in a statement Monday to commemorate the World Population Day of 2022.

He added that the government should also make family planning information, commodities and services available and accessible to all.

He stated that these places should be provided especially in hard-to-reach areas, adding that, “this will curb teenage pregnancy significantly.”

As Nigeria has the largest population in Africa, the Federal Government was reportedly launched the 2030 FP commitment in March 2022, in Abuja.

The Daily Reality gathered that the federal government intents were, “by the end of 2030, Nigeria envisions a country where everyone including adolescents, young people, populations affected by crisis and other vulnerable populations are able to make informed choices, have equitable and affordable access to quality family planning and participate as equals in society’s development.”

Magashi further called on the federal government to maximize its bulging youthful population by improving on the quality of and access to education.

He added that, “The issue of recurrent strike action in the education sector such as the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) should be addressed once and for all.

“The youth should also be empowered and given the relevant skills to enable them contribute in resolving national challenges.

“We call on the government to also make family planning information, commodities and services available and accessible to all, especially those in hard-to-reach areas – this will curb teenage pregnancy significantly.

“The Federal and state governments should take the issues of the provision of family planning commodities serious by ensuring its availability free of charge in all government clinics across the country.

“This can be achieved by the payment of counterpart funding and the provision of funds for logistics by all tiers of governments,” the statement added.

By Muhammad Sabiu

A husband in Misau town of Misau Local Government Area in Bauchi State, Ismail Ahmad Misau, has recounted his worst ordeal involving an ill-qualified doctor at Misau General Hospital. The doctor performed an unsuccessful post-partum surgery on Mr Ahmad’s wife without the husband’s or her family’s consent.

The wife, Khadija Muhammad, was admitted to Misau Town Maternity, after which she was referred to Misau General Hospital on July 4.

Speaking to The Daily Reality, Mr Ahmad lamented that he had found himself in a state of misery since then, adding that things are only worsening as his wife has been in a coma for about one week.

“After she was taken to the ward room, I was instructed to get out. Also, the person taking care of her was asked to move to the laboratory. Khadija was left alone in the room. Afterwards, as we sat down, we heard a cleaner shouting, asking where her caregiver was. We entered and found that Khadija had fallen from the bed in a coma. She was then quickly given an eclampsia injection.

The unprofessional doctor injured my baby—husband

“At 10 am, I was called from the hospital. We were asked to get some drugs. We did as instructed. After one hour, drugs were again needed. I was still asked to get drugs for the third time. On my way, I got a call that she had delivered a baby, but not by herself.

A doctor checked her and found that her unborn baby had died, so she could not deliver it. So, the doctor used a metallic object to eject the baby forcefully. Unfortunately, in trying to remove it, the baby got injured in the face, hand and leg. However, it later mysteriously turned out that the baby did not pass on, contrary to the doctor’s claim.”

Khadija’s life is at risk

“Khadija had been bleeding since then. I was told that she needed a blood transfusion. She first consumed two bags, two bags again, and another one afterwards. Still, the bleeding did not stop. The doctor then administered Tranexamic Acid (1 ample). Unfortunately, it wasn’t available in the whole of Misau. Before I returned to the hospital, I was told that the doctor had taken her into the operation room because, according to him, her womb had developed some issues (either cut or damaged). Therefore, the womb had to be stitched or completely removed before the bleeding could stop. Otherwise, she could die at any moment, according to him.

“On arrival at the hospital, I stopped and asked him why he would perform the surgery without scanning. He still answered that further delay could lead to my wife’s death. I still asked what he had discovered after the surgery. He said the womb was fine and that he had sorted the problem he found. After she was relocated to another unit, it took him about 40 minutes to attend to her again despite her acute condition. She had to be put on an oxygen mask.

“Since then, she has not been urinating because, as claimed by the doctor, she has developed a kidney problem,” Mr Ahmad recounted.

A 7-man delegation arrived in Misau

After subsequent development, the victim’s husband told The Daily Reality that on Wednesday, a 7-man team of doctors from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital visited the Misau hospital. Three of them checked Khadija and instructed that she be referred to the Federal Medical Center Azare.

“After taking her to Azare, she was taken to the Intensive Care Unit, after which we narrated all that transpired to the personnel in charge. And they documented it.

“They really showed their outrage due to what happened at the Misau hospital. They lamented that incompetence and recklessness had affected the treatment in Misau,” Mr Ahmad added.

This incident has caused a lot of tension in the Misau metropolis as some angry young men attempted to beat up the embattled, suspended doctor, who is also the Chief Medical Director of the hospital.

“People complain about his unprofessionalism”—insider

According to a worker at Misau General Hospital that spoke to the Daily Reality, the ill-qualified doctor was unprofessional and was not supposed to be at the hospital.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, told our reporter that this was not the first time the man’s unprofessionalism caused problems and difficulties for patients after surgery.

He said, “sometimes people come with lots of complaints after surgery. His unprofessionalism is almost known to everyone.”

He added that the quack doctor had been transferred to another hospital long ago. But, to the dismay of anyone in the hospital, he refused to accept the transfer. You know politics has roamed this system too, and the guy was said to have a political godfather.

What he did was entirely unethical

Asked whether the unprofessional doctor was ethically right when he did surgery on Ahmad’s wife without his consent, the doctor said it was entirely unethical.

He said, “What he did was wrong. One should not perform any surgery without the consent of the patient’s relatives.

All attempts by our reporters to hear from the management proved abortive.

By Muhammad Rabiu Jibrin (Mr. J) 

It is heartbreaking and horrible that in a country that operates democracy, a nearby house is turned into a medicine store, and no matter the condition of a patient, they can’t be treated in the maternity when it’s raining. Windstorms blew off the roof some time ago. This has been the condition the people of the Komi community found themselves in for a long time despite reports that the gory images of the worn-out structure of the maternity have been submitted to the relevant authorities.

The 22-year-old maternity with a 6442 target population has been in deplorable condition for about 7-8 years.  Owls and other birds made their nests in its ceiling before the damage worsened to the extent that they had no option but to vacate. The staff in the structure reportedly killed two puff adder snakes.  The maternity clinic was built in 2000 by the then Funakaye Local Government Chairman Alhaji Abubakar Abubakar BD to ease people’s lives.

Not more than a month ago, the price of 25 litres jerrican of water skyrocketed from 100 naira – which has been viewed as expensive to any subsistent farmer – to 250 naira forcing many people to sleep on empty stomachs and animals stood thirstily. Until the rain became steady, the rain-softened earth dams retained some water, and the community breathed a sigh of relief from the cancerous lack of drinking water.

As part of their contribution towards curtailing the damages before it went beyond control, every civil servant in the community was tasked with a sum of one thousand naira monthly, which was used in repairing damaged places for a couple of months.

What has been happening could be viewed as an infringement of the right to health guaranteed in chapter 2, section 17, subsection 3(d) of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria constitution. Under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the  ‘Right to Health’ has been guaranteed.

Also, it has been accorded recognition by many international treaties in which Nigeria is part and parcel. These include the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination (CEFD), the convention on the rights of the Child (CRC), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) among others.

It is high time the government came to the rescue of this community. Likewise, non Governmental Organizations and well-to-do individuals should, for a matter of help, come to their aid too.

Muhammad Rabiu Jibrin (Mr J) wrote from Gombe via muhammadrabiujibrin@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Over 3.1 million children would receive supplements against malaria, while 2.8 million children would be dewormed, the Kano state commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, said.

The Commissioner disclosed that there would be childhood immunization for about 68,135 children, adding that antenatal services would also be provided.

Tsanyawa stated this during a media briefing ahead of the exercise, which begins on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.

He noted that the Kano State Government had identified about 12 million children to receive the seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention for July to October 2022 in the 44 government areas of the state.

The Daily Reality learned that the previous exercise conducted in January 2022 recorded huge success with Vitamin A coverage of more than 88 per cent.

In his words, Tsanyawa added, “the aim was to prevent uncomplicated and similar proportion of severe malaria incidences amongst the age group.”

“We are integrating the two exercises, although the MNCHW is a week-long event conducted twice every year.”

“It has a high impact on low-cost interventions offered to pregnant women and children below the age of five to increase coverage level of preventive and curative health indicators,” Tsanyawa stated.

By Aisar Fagge

African countries have received over 90 million donations of doses of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure Africans are adequately vaccinated, but inadequate information and lack of transparency and accountability caused a serious problem.

The Vaccine and Essential Drugs Associate of Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), Khadija Hamid Bobboyi, disclosed this in a webinar organised by AHBN on Thursday, June 30, 2022, to acquaint Media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with necessary information on procurement, delivery and distribution of the vaccine in Africa.

Mrs Bobboyi noted that developed countries, multilateral organisations and corporations have supported Africa at different phases in terms of the supply of the vaccine that ravaged the world.

She revealed that COVAX and African Vaccines Acquisition Trust, alongside other partners, have made vaccines available to African countries.

She stated: “Africa is getting free donations of vaccines and support from the international community; availability of multiple sources of COVID-19 vaccine and at a subsidised rate.

“African Union and Partners have established AVAT to augment donations from the international donor community.”

“African Civil Society Organizations and the populace hardly know or understand the procurement and delivery mechanisms. There is a paucity of information, weak transparent processes which make it difficult to hold governments and their donors to account.”

The AHBN officer, however, decried that there is an uneven distribution of the vaccines among African countries while many donors donate near-expired vaccines with short notice that African countries may not be prepared for its safe keeping.

“Multiple mechanisms may pose a problem because some countries may receive more and others less without proper analysis of which country is in more need of the vaccines. The majority of the donations to date have been ad hoc, provided with little notice and short shelf lives and become expired,” she added.

She described the webinar as “an attempt to begin to change the narrative and empower African Civil Society Organizations, media and the populace with information and promote greater and meaningful participation in the affairs of Africa and COVID-19.”

She finally called on the donors and partners to key in countries’ priorities in their donations, saying, “donations from COVAX and AVAT to African countries must be made in a way that allows countries to effectively mobilise domestic resources in support of rollout vaccination and enables long-term planning to increase coverage rates.”

The convener of the webinar, Dr Aminu Magashi, who is the founder of several NGOs such as AHBN, CHR, and YOSPIS, assured that this kind of webinar would continuously be organised regularly to sensitise media practitioners and Civil Society Organizations on their roles in holding governments accountable on the procurement, delivery and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

The participants of the webinar who came from different countries were drawn from media organisations, CSOs and the general public, who were educated on the processes of vaccine acquisition and distribution.

By Murtala Uba Mohammed (PhD)

In recognition of the importance of environment to human life, the United Nation Environmental Programme (UNEP) sets aside 5th day of every June as the World Environment Day (WED). This year, the world celebrated 50th WED with a theme “Only One Earth”. If everything, this theme was the first theme of the WED and also it signified the importance of protecting the planet earth. Since man has no any other place to call his home other than the earth, it is binding on him to safeguard its sanctity and ensure its sustenance, as well as to do everything possible to maintain its health status.

The planet earth which came into existence some billions of years back, was in a harmonious state with respect to its chemical and biological elements. Although, volcanic eruption and other natural occurrences such as falling of asteroids that occurred in the past, might have induced some modifications to it as the state is always being checked through planet’s self-regulating mechanism, recycling, replenishing and adaptation.

Man’s dominance of the planet which began with his emergence some 200,000 years ago through the current epoch of Anthropocene has made the most significant footprint on the earth. At the early stage, human beings started living in a small number; lived a simple life (without access to any tool) through hunting and gathering things, before man later multiplied (reaching billions) and acquired new technologies to exploit nature to suit his purposes. Through waves of revolutions in agriculture, urbanization, industrialization and information, environment received so much impact from human who introduces, transforms, modifies, hastens many processes and terminates many.

Consequently, with the recent development, environment started to react as earth begins to witness unusual, unfamiliar and difficult to predict events. Issues such as rise in temperature, air pollution, ice melt, flood, tropical storms, drought, desertification, soil desiccation, groundwater depletion and more intensified earth tremors and quakes become regular visitors to the planet. Also noticed is the extinction and disappearance of many species and habitats as well as emergence and re-emergence of new diseases. The main drivers of this change as explained by Intergovernmental Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) are changes in land and sea use, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution and invasion of alien species. All these are linked to human activities in the field of agriculture, mining, building of settlements and industries.

Although the drivers may not be sporadic as far as their nature and magnitude, their consequences are ubiquitous. The most vulnerable to the impact are the weaker members of human society and species such as the developing countries due to their poverty and underdevelopment status; the children and women because of their powerlessness and dependency; the disabled and people with special needs; and above all, the none human part of the environment (plants, animals and abiotic components) who may not have the human intellect and know-how (for example) to run for their safety.

At global level, efforts are made through changing and adapting more cleaner energy sources such as solar and hydro, as against the use of fossil fuel based energy which is harmful to the ecosystem and equally contributing to carbon accumulation into the atmosphere; switching to green technology through recycling of resource and producing environmentally friendly technologies and product; better and less environmentally damaging agriculture such as zero tillage, less to zero acreage farming, control grazing, integrated organic farming; as well as changing to green engineering, climate smart engineering among many other things. Rehabilitation, reclamation and restoring the damaged ecosystems are also receiving priorities through such projects such as Great Green Wall.

In spite of this effort at global level, we need to look inward and see what we are doing/can do at local level to help in solving the global problems while at the same time addressing our local issues. The population, particularly those in rural areas should be empowered through knowledge and economy to embrace changes in the areas of sustainable climate, smart agricultural practice, afford better technologies and change to clean energy. With current economic shock, low income, and high cost of accessing cleaner energy sources such as solar, we are indirectly encouraging Nigerias’ poor to continue using wood fuel and inflict more damages to our fragile ecosystem. When farmers are left at the mercy of nature, doing little to nothing to subsidize them or improve market price of their goods, the agricultural output will remain low and the demand for more land will continue leading to destruction of forest and reserves. Only when farmers are getting sufficient income, they will save enough and be able to send their children to school. This will address the current rural-urban drift which is making it difficult for city administration.

Environmental planning is one area we need to do a lot in Nigeria. Respect for nature and natural world is very fundamental. City folks should have access to open spaces, recreational areas and parks. Our built brown ecosystem should be sandwiched with grassy greenish and watery bluish ones to achieve harmony. Presence of all living things is fundamental to the environment. Cities soundscape should be a blended one, with presence of both manmade and natural (such as birds, insects and reptiles) sounds. Workability should be encouraged for both health improvement of resident and for carbon off-scaling in our urban area. We also need to revive and improve our local technologies and architectural designs to make it environmentally friendly.

Health and safety of residents should be given a priority. While, sharing the moment of grief in Kano State, as over 200 residents inhaled unknown gas and ended up in hospital, we hope such things will not happen again. The state recently faces problem of water scarcity particularly in the metropolis where a 25 litre water container cost between 60 to 100 Naira. This has implication on health and sanitation of the populace who are now taking water whose quality is highly questionable. The state should do more on water provisioning and supply. Water policy should also be implemented in order to check the current rampant proliferation of boreholes whose future implication is likely a doom.

In a nutshell, WED is a good time to reflect and ponder. It is time to think more about environment, make it healthy and support its sustainability. It is a moment for all hands to be on deck to achieve sustainable development where a balance will be achieved between built and natural ecosystem. All stakeholders including the policy makers, the professionals and media have roles to play in this endeavour. It is right to advocate for a healthy and sustainable environment.

Murtala teaches Geography at Bayero University and can be reached via his email, murtalamuhammadu@gmail.com

By Muhammad Aminu

A fatal accident has claimed the lives of six (6) persons on their way to Hadejia in Jigawa State after conveying a bride to her matrimonial home on Sunday.

The victims were returning to Hadejia after they conveyed a relative-bride to her matrimonial home in Yalleman town. Jigawa State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Lawan Adamu, said in a statement that a black Lexus vehicle somersaulted when its tyres busted abruptly and the driver lost control.

“The accident involved a motor vehicle, Lexus, black in colour with Reg No. AAA 153 EA, driven by one Habib Habib Tall ‘M’, age 30yrs of Yalleman Quarters, Kaugama LGA. The car carried eight (8) passengers who conveyed the bride from Hadejia to Yalleman.

“On reaching Gidan Sugar, on their way back to Hadejia, while on motion, both the rear and front tyres were removed, and the driver lost control, the vehicle somersaulted and swarmed by the roadside, the statement noted.

According to the Police Spokesman, only two persons survived the accident, while a doctor confirmed the others dead.

He said: “Six persons were confirmed and certified dead by a medical doctor while receiving treatment. They are; Baba Rabi’a Aliyu ‘f’ age 50yrs; Ummi Abubakar ‘f’ age 30yrs; Aisha Soja ‘f’ age 27yrs; Radiya Turaki ‘f’ age 3yrs; Kabir Sani ‘m’ age 2 and a half yrs, all of Wunti Quarters Hadejia LGA; and Habib Habib Tall ‘m’ age 30yrs of Yalleman Quarters, Kaugama LGA.”

He said the remains of the deceased had been released to their relatives for burial arrangements. He said the survivors are on admission receiving treatment at Hadejia General Hospital.

He further advised motorists to be checking their vehicle’s tyres, brakes and other essential parts before embarking on any journey.

The Police, therefore, cautioned drivers to avoid overloading, overspeeding, using hard drugs, alcohol and on a night journey to avert fatal accidents on roads.

By Muhammad Aminu

No fewer than three (3) persons had been killed, and 2,250 residences were destroyed by flooding and windstorm in Kano in June.

The Executive Secretary, Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr Saleh Jili, told journalists in Kano as his agency is poised to face the challenge during the rainy season.

Dr Jiji also confirmed that five LGAs in the state were affected.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had predicted that there would be flooding in 32 States of the federation this rainy season. According to the Secretary who attributed the calamity to the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in waterways and drains, said the affected Local Government Areas are Rano, Kibiya, Doguwa, Dambatta and Kiru.

He, therefore, urged residents to desist from such bad practices to avert a recurrence of such disasters, just as he pledged his Agency’s preparedness to respond to emergency situations, carrying the people along in the process.

“On June 9, the Agency organised a stakeholders conference to brainstorm on disaster risk reduction and disaster management.

“We sensitised religious leaders and heads of communities in the five emirates on how to manage heavy rainfall that was predicted by NiMet. We also used the media, markets and other gatherings to sensitise the residents on the need to ensure easy flow of water in their places,” he said.

He said that Kano State has commenced planning ahead of anticipated 2022 rainy season flooding in many parts of the state.

He said the State has started stockpiling relief materials in response to the NIMET’s prediction about the possibility of more flooding.

According to Dr Jiji, Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is on alert in case of any emergency situation. The state also designated places to serve as temporary shelters for those to be displaced by the anticipated disasters.

Pundits attribute the frequent occurrence of flooding in urban and rural communities to the unwholesome habit of building structures on waterways, as well as dumping Refuse in drains.

On his part, the Territorial Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency in Kano, Dr Nuradeen Abdullahi, assured that his Agency was prepared to respond to any situation, adding that there were enough relief materials in stock.

He stated that although there were many factors responsible, blockage of waterways by residents was a major factor, hence the need for a change of attitude.

Kabiru Getso, Kano State Commissioner for Environment, said the government had been engaging in the evacuation of Refuse as part of its “Keep Kano Clean” campaign.

“So far, more than 70,000 linear meters of drains have been de-silted, and more than 1,600 strips of silted materials have been evacuated from drains”, he revealed.

Getso also revealed that the state had submitted the ‘State Pollution Control Bill’ to the state House of Assembly, which had passed through the second reading.

“If passed, the state will have laws criminalising environmental offences such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse and other forms of environmental pollution,” he said.