The Children’s Developmental Centre (CDC) has unveiled the Disability Awareness Ribbon with the support of the Lagos State Government in commemoration in aid of the campaign for the Developmental Disability Awareness month.

At the launch in Lagos, key stakeholders in the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) space called for action by government at all levels to provide the necessary support towards the upbringing of children with various forms of disabilities.

They also expressed deep concern about the future of children with disabilities in the country where there is no clear cut policy their growth support plan and engagement that will better their lives.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Yinka Akindayomi, service director at CDC, said CDC over the last 20 years has been both a service provider and in forefront of advocating for children and adults with development disabilities and their families.

Akindayomi said in the course of the centre’s intervention it has realised that the inclusion of children and adults with any disabilities can only come through a joint effort.

She noted that there must be a harmonious and strong partnerships among stakeholders for any society to grow, adding that one of the great benefits of working together is the inspiration and ideas that can result from unity, because people from different backgrounds and levels of experience can help in creating solutions to problems in the society especially where stigma is concerned.

“Personal boundaries are limits we set for our selves as individuals but when we work together, there is the motivation to push beyond those boundaries which yields results. Nigeria will be better if we work together, because unity maximises strengths and brings out the best in its citizens. This value of unity is regularly seen in sports, culture, entertainment etc and we should endeavor to include in our everyday life, workplaces, homes and community at large,” she counseled.

In her remarks, Mrs. Emmanuella Otiono, educational consultant at Centre Escolar Educational, emotionally spoke about discrimination against people with disabilities, and advised that rather discourage them by attitude efforts should be made to identify those special talents in them to help them maximise their potentials.

Otiono said her centre like similar others offers a continuum of services that meet the specialised needs of young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities including those with autism or other autism spectrum disorders.

“We help youth in all aspects of their lives so they can be successful at home and in school, with friends and family. We understand that no two young people are alike and consider a number of factors including their home environment, upbringing and clinical history when creating Individualised Service Plans,” she said, adding that whether serving youth in foster care or providing supports in home and community settings, stakeholders should also help youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities reach new heights.

Otiono, expressly noted that youths with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities represent special populations at risk for juvenile delinquency, victimisation, educational failure, and poor employment outcomes and that they often have multiple, overlapping risk factors.
She noted that youth with disabilities typically receive mentoring, if at all, within disability-specific programmes rather than in inclusive, community-based programmes.

Speaking further, Otiono stated that early childhood is the period from prenatal development and a crucial phase of growth and development because experiences during early childhood can influence outcomes across the entire course of an individual’s life.

“For all children, early childhood provides an important window of opportunity to prepare the foundation for life-long learning and participation, while preventing potential delays in development and disabilities. For children who experience disability, it is a vital time to ensure access to interventions which can help them reach their full potential.

Despite being more vulnerable to developmental risks, young children with disabilities are often overlooked in mainstream programmes and services designed to ensure child development,” she added.

Other stakeholders at the forum expressed disappointment that these children, however, do not receive the specific supports required to meet their rights and needs as children with disabilities and their families are confronted by barriers including inadequate legislation and policies, negative attitudes, inadequate services, and lack of accessible environments.

They argued that if children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families are not provided with timely and appropriate early intervention, support and protection, their difficulties can become more severe and often leading to lifetime consequences, increased poverty and profound exclusion.

By Yemisi Izuora 

A wave of cold weather hitting Europe this week poses health risks, particularly to people in vulnerable situations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) experts on the continent have warned.

Temperatures are expected to plunge below average in western European Russia, central Europe, the Balkans and the Baltic States.

“Cold, even in places where the temperatures are not at their lowest, can be harmful to people’s health in many ways. It can aggravate existing conditions and raise the risk of increased blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Taking preventive action can help reduce the health impacts and risks,” says Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “WHO is carefully following the situation in countries of the European Region. Affected countries should stay alert. Measures must be taken to protect people at risk.”

Poor and vulnerable at highest risk of cold-related illnesses

Cold weather increases the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Anyone can be affected by cold temperatures at home, at work, while commuting or during leisure activities. Those most at risk of cold-related illness include elderly people, children, and people who have chronic diseases or physical or mental limitations. People taking certain medications or those who are malnourished are also at greater risk of cold-related illnesses.

Frequently, poor households are the hardest hit as the poor can least afford to adequately heat their homes. Homeless people, and refugees and migrants can be especially vulnerable. Their risk increases if they lack adequate shelter, proper clothing, food and medical care.

Health and social services often face the challenge of caring for an increased number of patients suffering from various cold-related illnesses. Disruptions in services and infrastructure can further indirectly aggravate the health effects.

Facts and figures

• Extreme weather, including cold waves, are common in countries of the WHO European Region and are expected to occur more frequently and severely as a result of global climate change.
• Severe cold weather spells are especially common in eastern European countries, where 28 people per million died as a result of extreme cold events in 1991–2015.
• Adverse health effects of cold weather are also costly to health-care systems: in 2009 the United Kingdom’s Department of Health estimated that annual costs to the National Health Service of treating winter-related diseases amounted to around £859 million.
• A global study conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has shown that moderate cold caused more deaths than moderate heat.
• Many cold-related deaths actually occur on moderately cold days.
• Deaths associated with cold weather are caused by coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular incidents, respiratory diseases, hypothermia and trauma.
• Illnesses associated with cold temperatures include: injuries from falls and accidents, hypothermia, cardiovascular problems, respiratory problems, mental health issues including depression, etc.

WHO in Bonn provides guidance to prevent health consequences of cold

The adverse health effects of cold weather are largely preventable. “Governments need timely warnings and solid evidence to better protect people from adverse environmental conditions – and our experts in the Bonn Centre are key partners in ensuring this,” says Dr Elizabet Paunovic, Head of the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, Bonn, Germany. “Our team provides evidence-based solutions to global challenges affecting the environment, such as on climate change, air pollution, safe water and sanitation, industrial contamination and many others.”

The Bonn Centre is becoming a more important stakeholder in health as we see more adverse environmental conditions which impact on health, such as these cold spells, which are one of the results of climate change. “In cases of extreme adverse environmental conditions, the Bonn Centre has a mandate not only to assist governments to protect their nationals but also to reach out directly to the public through the media, to better inform and hence ensure that the public are well prepared and protected,” adds Dr Paunovic.

The Bonn Centre has developed a set of health recommendations related to cold weather in the following areas:

• Adverse health effects of exposure to cold
• What the public can do in preparation for, and during cold weather
• What health and social services can do
• What general practitioners can do