In an effort to mitigate the rising mortality and morbidity linked to climate change among people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Professor Akin Osibogun, a community health expert at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, has outlined survival strategies for managing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and sickle cell disease.
Speaking on the health risks posed by extreme weather, Osibogun, in an exclusive interview with Pharmanewsonline emphasised that such conditions, particularly extreme heat, exacerbate fluid and electrolyte imbalances as well as respiratory challenges. He identified individuals living with diabetes, hypertension, and sickle cell disease as being among the most vulnerable, especially to heatstroke and dehydration.
Osibogun, who also serves as the executive director of the NCD Alliance Nigeria, advised patients with NCDs to prioritise adequate hydration by consuming sufficient amounts of water daily. “The high osmolality of blood in diabetes, caused by elevated sugar levels, can worsen with dehydration,” he explained. “For hypertensive patients, the additional strain on the kidneys can intensify. Similarly, for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD),
dehydration can trigger increased blood osmolality, sickling of cells, and subsequent crises.”
He added that consuming up to three litres of water daily, adhering strictly to medications, and avoiding infectious exposures are crucial measures for managing these conditions under extreme heat.
According to the Africa Health Organisation, extreme heat directly contributes to deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, particularly in older adults. It also increases the levels of air pollutants like ozone, exacerbating respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Additionally, higher levels of pollen and aeroallergens during extreme heat can trigger asthma, a condition that already affects over 300 million people globally.
Osibogun further highlighted how hot and dry weather conditions worsen respiratory health, particularly for NCD patients. Dust particles in the atmosphere, aggravated by extreme heat, can accumulate in the respiratory system, leading to chronic respiratory diseases and allergic reactions. “These particles may obstruct the alveoli or trigger allergic reactions, causing asthma-like conditions. In some cases, they make the respiratory tract more susceptible to viral infections, increasing the risk of influenza-like illnesses,” he noted.
The professor urged individuals to take precautions, including wearing protective masks to limit exposure to dust and ensuring proper ventilation in their environments. He also called on the government to prioritise the healthcare needs of NCD patients by updating healthcare systems and improving access to care.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) corroborates Osibogun’s stance, noting that people living with NCDs are especially vulnerable, and climate change increases the global burden of cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney diseases, and cancer. It maintains that NCDs, air pollution and climate change are major health crises of this century, and they are strongly interlinked. They erode gains in health and development and quality of life.
The global health body emphasised the enormous impact of environmental determinants on NCDs and health systems in every country, which further strain and imposes significant health cost. It warns that without decisive action on these risk factors, SDG3 and specifically SDG3.4 and SDG3.8 will be unattainable poor and marginalized people the hardest.
Osibogun stressed the importance of strengthening the Nigerian healthcare system to support NCD patients. “Improving access to preventive information, raising awareness about modifiable risk factors, and promoting early detection can significantly reduce the incidence and complications of NCDs,” he stated.
He recommended training primary healthcare workers to provide preventive care and manage NCD cases more effectively. “Healthcare must be made accessible at the community level to ensure timely intervention,” he concluded.
