A PROFESSOR of Community Medicine, Eddy Ndibuagu, has urged Nigerians to drink more water, avoid wearing dark-coloured clothes and limit their exposure to direct sunlight to cope with the hot weather.
Ndibuagu, who works at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday, October 31.
He said people should stay under shade or in air-conditioned spaces to reduce the effects of the heat.
“Watch the clothes you wear. Avoid dark clothes, like black, because they absorb heat, Reduce the rate walking or farming under the sun. After such activities, stay under shade and drink plenty of water to avoid fainting or collapsing from exhaustion.
“Do not stay in places where you will sweat excessively. Ordinarily, you are supposed to take about three litres of water daily, but now you should increase the quantity,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ongoing heatwave in Enugu has left many residents struggling to cope with the hot weather.
A NAN correspondent who spoke with residents in separate interviews reports that they lamented the daily struggle to cope with the heat and its financial burden.
They said frequent water purchases, high energy costs due to erratic power supply and the need to buy rechargeable fans had added to their household expenses.
Bridget Onyia, a resident of Obiagu, said the heatwave was severe, especially amid erratic power supply.
According to her, some residents now sleep outside their houses or on roof slabs to enjoy fresh air because of the intense heat.
John Ekwueme, a resident of Ugwuaji in Enugu, said the ‘unbearable’ heat had forced him to buy a rechargeable fan for his family.
“We are all experiencing the heat because the segregation of people into different electricity bands (A, B and C) is not working. Some people do not even have electricity to cushion the impact of the hot weather,” he said.
Esther Agbo, a nurse, said water supply remained a major challenge for residents of Enugu metropolis, worsening the situation for low-income earners.
Victoria Okoroafor, a retired nurse, said heatwaves had become a reality in Nigeria due to global warming.
Okoroafor urged the government to improve electricity supply.
“People should also prepare by ensuring they live in apartments that allow natural breeze. They should always keep their windows open for free flow of fresh air,” she said. (NAN)