By Vivian Onyebukwa
Experts indicate that many Nigerians suffer from respiratory health issues, often unaware of the causes. Undoubtedly, this is a result of air pollution—a significant aspect of climate change—that adversely affects both the environment and individual health.
The everyday impact, particularly on respiratory health, highlights the urgent need to address this phenomenon.
In response, the C2Rest (Climate Change and Respiratory Health) Study Nigeria Team organized its inaugural stakeholders’ engagement workshop in Ikeja, Lagos. The workshop brought together a diverse group from the health, environmental, and public sectors, including the public, religious and community leaders, patients, respiratory doctors, media, and public servants. The participants aimed to identify the primary causes of climate change and devise strategies to mitigate its effects, focusing particularly on reducing the incidence and mortality from respiratory diseases.
Policy makers also participated to develop actionable strategies for implementation.
The C2Rest team, comprised of multidisciplinary researchers dedicated to this cause, focuses on the intersection of climate change and respiratory health. Obianuju Ozoh, an Associate Professor at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital and one of the lead investigators, emphasized the broad impact of climate change on health, including increased rates of lung cancer, asthma, allergies, and other conditions exacerbated by climate change. “We are here to ensure that people breathe life,” she stated.
The team includes Associate Professor Davies Adeloye from Teesside University, UK, Associate Professor Obianuju Ozoh from the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, Associate Professor Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu from the University of the West of England, Bristol, who is leading the workshop, Dr. Alexander IseOlorunkanimi from Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, Dr. Boni Maxime Ale from MOI University, Kenya, and Associate Professor Olayemi Akinnola from Covenant University, Nigeria.
Funded by the Medical Research Foundation in the United Kingdom, the C2Rest Nigeria study is a three-year research project scheduled from 2024 to 2027.
During the workshop, stakeholders engaged in round-table discussions focusing on the drivers, barriers, and adaptive pathways of climate change.
HRM Oba Moses A. Olaleye, Onilogbo of Ilogbo Eremi, Lagos, praised the initiative: “Creating awareness about climate change is relatively new in our society. Perhaps they want us to act as ambassadors to promote awareness. I already do this because my area is filled with trees, and I spend a lot of time in nature, explaining the benefits to those who ask.”
Additionally, Dr. Rose Alani, an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Lagos and leader of the Air Quality Monitoring Group, commended the inclusivity of the program. “It’s enlightening and brings everyone together to contribute to this cause. The healthcare sector should pay closer attention to the effects of climate phenomena like heatwaves and seek solutions to mitigate them,” she advised.