Nigerian doctors fear disease outbreaks during the rainy season

Nigerian health professionals are concerned over a potential spike in vector-borne and waterborne diseases during the current rainy season, warning that poor hygiene and inadequate preventive measures could lead to widespread outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and typhoid fever. Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, Tanimola Akande, Professor of Public Health at the University of Ilorin, complained that Nigeria’s poor environmental hygiene and waste disposal systems remain a major threat to public health during the rainy season. He added that changes in temperatures, humidity, and flooding that come with heavy rainfall create perfect conditions for the spread of several diseases, including cholera and hepatitis A. Poor sanitation and inadequate waste management also contribute to their diffusion, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and flies and contaminating water sources. Akande particularly lamented the inadequacy of Nigeria’s waste disposal infrastructure, with communities without effective waste collection systems and the widespread use of illegal landfills.
Dr Onaeko Wemimo, director of environmental health management in Ogun State, explained that the rainy season often brings with it a predictable spike in diseases due to increased exposure to contaminated water, mosquito breeding grounds, and poor hygiene practices. While malaria remains the most common and deadliest mosquito-borne disease during the season, dengue fever is gradually gaining ground in Nigeria due to climate change and poor control measures. Wemimo warned that unless Nigeria begins to take environmental sanitation more seriously, the health burden caused by these preventable diseases will become heavier and more persistent. He urged to remove stagnant water near homes and public spaces and provide homes with proper window and door screens. To prevent waterborne illnesses like cholera and typhoid fever, Wemimo advised communities to ensure all garbage is collected and transported to government-approved sites. All households should also get a septic tank for sewage and a soakaway pit for wastewater.