Medical doctors have warned that people living in areas where roads are bad and dusty are prone to asthma and lung disease.
People living in-between the border of Berger in Lagos and Akute, Alagbole and Ishashi in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, have high risk of developing asthma, nasal irritation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (common lung disease), because they are exposed daily to dust on the roads.
According to Nigeria’s 2006 population census, Ifo Local Government is populated with about 539,170 people, including people living in Akute, Alagbole and Ishashi areas. Residents of these areas confirmed that they usually experience catarrh, nose itching and usually feel the dust on their body when going out.
A resident of Akute axis of the local government, Mrs. Ayo Damarola, told The Point that she has been experiencing catarrh for some time now. She said, “During the raining season, the dust was minimal, compared to the dry season. Now that the rain has stopped, the dust is back and we have to cover our hair and nose to prevent dust.
“Most times, when I take motorcycle from my house to Berger, my cloth would be covered with dust by the time I arrived at Berger.” She added her neighbours had to relocate from Akute, because their daughter usually develop asthma crisis anytime she inhales dust. “My neighbours had to leave Akute, because of their daughter’s health, and I do not blame them. If not because I live in my own house, I would have relocated too,” she added.
A resident of Ishashi area, who pleaded anonymity, told The Point that most people have relocated to places where the roads are good, because of the dust and the body pain they experience daily, because of the bad roads. He said, “A lot of people had re located from this area because of the bad road. It is either you are experiencing constant body pain, catarrh or when sleeping you will be feeling a kind of itching in your ear and sometimes in your throat.
“Most times I use nose guard to cover my nose and glasses to cover my eyes, but despite all this, I still feel the dust on my body and sometimes in my mouth after taking a motorcycle.” He concluded by appealing to the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to help tar the roads and put an end to their plight.
The Medical Director of Stars Community Clinic in Ikorodu, Lagos, Dr. Adeolu Olusodo, explained that regular intake of dust can lead to constant irritation of the nasal mucosa (mucus), which can result in chronic sinusitis, as well as precipitate asthma symptoms.
Olusodo said, “The recurrent exposure of the lining of the nose to dust can lead to a permanent inflammation in the nose, which will make the person have constant catarrh. “It may also make the person have asthma-like signs, such as difficulty in breathing, if the dusts get deep into the airway.”
He concluded that the best way residents can protect themselves from developing these symptoms is to cover their noses always. Also, another medical doctor at Salus Health Consultants, Dr. Kazeem Kadiri, told The Point constant exposure to dust can lead to allergies like asthma and that there is a possibility that it could lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, if the dust contains other particles.
