Coping with heat wave

A physician, with Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Dr. Mansur Ramalan, has advised that when there is much heat, people tend to be more provoked than during rainy or friendlier weather.

In a chat with The Guardian, Ramalan said there is livelihood of psychosocial diseases, when the atmosphere is too hot, explaining that, “People can easily be provoked when their body is being challenged with this unfriendly situation.
“There are diseases that are more prevalent during such period, like Meningitis and Dehydration, because of too much sweating, “ he stated.

According to him, sometimes, when the dehydration becomes unbearable, it could lead to death, “because water is like a means of transport in our systems, for blood and cells, “ Ramalan highlighted.

He said there is an increase in health issues related to the present weather condition than before.
When asked about ways to make the best of the harsh condition, he advised that people should increase their water intake in times like this. He added people should not wear dark-coloured clothes, but light stuff to ward off heat more easily.

“Under normal circumstance, a person takes one to three litres of water, but because of the situation we have found ourselves, people need to drink above their normal consumption, “ counseled Ramalan.

He also urged people to always wash whatever they wanted to eat, so that they could avoid contact with prevalent diseases of the time.

“There is also what is called ‘heat exhaustion,’ where temperature goes beyond normal situation.
It is also a situation, where people find themselves becoming weaker and energy draining jobs should be controlled, while curtailing exposure to intense heat/sunlight, he said.

A student, Mamudan Mulki, revealed that he does not comprehend most of his studies either in the class or library.
Mulki said, “I don’t have any peace of mind, when the heat is too much and becoming unbearable. I find it also very difficult to sleep in the night. This is worsened due to lack of public power supply.”

Another student, Salisu Danliti, disclosed that, “When our lecturer comes into class, I can only get what he would say within the first 30 minutes. Beyond that, he goes out with what he brought to deliver.”

Danliti lamented that if he was to write exams during this period, he was not sure he could make it.