By Charles Ifenkwe
According to Barry Commoner,” Air pollution is not merely a nuisance and a threat to health. It is a reminder that our most celebrated technological achievements – the automobile, the jet plane, the power plant, Industry in general and indeed the modern city itself – are in the environment failures”.
Dan Quayle, submitted that, “It isn’t pollution that’s harming the environment. It’s the impurities in the air and water that are doing it.”
For the avoidance of doubt, Air pollution occurs when harmful substances, such as particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide are released into the atmosphere.
These pollutants can have harmful effects on both human’s health and the ecosystem. Thus, air pollution is a serious environmental problem that has far reaching consequences.
For instance, decades of research have shown that air pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter increase the amount and seriousness of Lung and heart disease and other health problems.
More than that, air pollution has been identified as being responsible for many skin and respiratory disorders in humans even as medical experts say it causes asthma, bronchitis and many other diseases.
Aside the fact that air pollution causes diseases, allergies and even death in humans, it can also cause harm to other living organisms such as animals or crops, and climate change, ozone depletion or habitat degradation and acidic rain.
It is instructive to note the deliberate and conscious efforts we should undertake aimed at improving air quality. They include to drive your car less, to reduce gas consumption, to keep your car in good repair, not to burn your trash or waste and to plant and care for trees amongst others.
It is perhaps against the backdrop of the foregoing that the current whether situation being experienced in parts of the Country, and in our own dear Abia State, should be taken seriously.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the current whether being experienced is not harmattan, but an extreme form of Air pollution that is harmful to health.
A release from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency says this extreme air pollution can cause reduced Lung functions, respiratory infections, inflammation and oxidation stress (which affects body balance).
As part of efforts at mitigating the adverse effects of air pollution, a number of precautionary measures have been recommended including wearing of nose mask, drinking plenty of water, covering of food and water to keep dust off, washing fruits thoroughly before eating and staying indoors as much as possible.
Other measures are use of Shea butter (ORI) on your body and hair, especially before going to bed, drinking warm water regularly, especially for the elderly, avoiding sun during hot afternoon and not eating cold food in the morning, particularly for the elderly.
The rest safeguards against the current whether situation caused by extreme air pollution include refraining from use of air-conditions and fans at night in order not to catch a cold, keeping your chest warm until noon and always wearing a nose mask in public places, on motorbikes (okada), Commercial tricycle (Keke) or in other public transport.
Consequently, in a release from the Abia State Ministry of Environment, the Hon. Commissioner, Mr Philemon Ogbonna, warns Abians of all walks of life to adhere strictly to all precaution measures against the extreme form of Air pollution as the situation may last for a while urging Ndi- Abia to stay safe.
Indeed, in our local palance our people say, Agha a gbara ama ya adighi egbu nwa ngworo. Put differently, ” Precaution is better than cure”. Again, the superior man when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come”.
In addition, Government’s first duty and highest obligation is public safety and this, the Dr Alex Otti led Administration is doing through the Ministry of Environment.
Let us heed all the pieces of advice and precautions given in our own best interests.
