Heat: Yobe govt advises people on hydration, others
As excessive heat rages in the northern part of the country, the Yobe State Ministry of Health and Human Services has advised the people of the state to be cautious of its dangers by taking more fluid to remain hydrated.
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Mohammed Lawan Gana, in a statement, said the advice became necessary because of the adverse effects of intense heat on people’s health, especially the sick and vulnerable.
Gana noted that there had been an increase in environmental temperature across the state recently, especially at the northern fringes; the situation which, he said, required measures for a healthy society.
The commissioner stated: “The environmental temperatures in Yobe State can rise up to 45 degrees centigrade and above, especially within the months of March and May before the onset of the raining season.
“With the current weather situation, it is expected that the month of Ramadan for this year 1442 AH (2021 AD) will be during hot weather. Therefore, it has become necessary to remind people about the effects of heat on health.
“During hot weather, the human body tries to balance the internal body temperature to remain stable through sweating whereby when air blows on the sweat, the skin temperature cools and then the whole body cools and stabilizes.
“However, sweating causes loss of water and some essential electrolytes that are needed for the body to maintain good health.
“Therefore, the brain sends a signal that causes thirst and naturally when a person drinks water the fluid lost during sweating and other means is replaced and the electrolytes and other essential nutrients are replaced from the food we eat.
“Loss of body water and electrolytes from the body can result in thirst, severe dehydration, hot, dry skin or profuse sweating, nausea, headache, fatigue, irritability, dizziness, muscle cramps, reduced physical activity, reduced mental alertness, confusion, difficulty in breathing, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, worsening of pre-existing chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus hypertension, respiratory diseases, kidney disease etc. and death”.