Date: 2017-01-30

Nigerians have been advised to guide against staying in overcrowded houses during the period of change In weather particularly during this heat period.

Mothers were also cautioned to avoid putting their underage children in house that has no ventilation . A health physician with the Kwara State Ministry of Health, Doctor (Mrs) Marion Adekeye gave the advice in Ilorin while responding to questions on a Radio Kwara programme , Health Half Hour.

The medical practitioner said the change in weather is associated with seasonal diseases such as meningitis (stiff neck) which might lead to heat stroke , skin rashes, epidemic and other related diseases and advised people to put on light clothes.

She cautioned Nigerians against sharing clothes , handkerchief and other materials with people that have been effected with such diseases as it is easily transmissible explaining that symptoms associated with meningitis include headache and hot body .

Doctor Adekeye urged the Federal and state governments to sustain the National and community health insurance schemes which has assisted most people to cushion the effect of their financial burdens of their health challenges.

The health physician praised the state government on the immunization programmes which she described as one major preventive measure against diseases adding that the state government has been rated high in this direction.

She appealed to mothers to take their children of below the age of five for immunization at no cost at government hospitals as another round of immunization exercise will come up soon where children will have the opportunity to be immunized against the five killer diseases .

Doctor Adekeye said the bodies of all children immunized are immune to all diseases .

According to her, the state government has embarked on enlightenment programmes on various health challenges and stressed the need for prevention rather than cure while all those wishing to travel outside the country also needed to be immunized.

Int/Mta /Abh