Overcrowded Urban Communities Fuel Spread of Infectious Diseases in Nigeria, UNILAG VC Warns

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, has warned that overcrowded communities in Nigeria and across Africa are accelerating the transmission of infectious diseases due to poor sanitation, limited access to clean water, and inadequate waste disposal systems.

Ogunsola made this known while delivering the maiden Distinguished Lecture of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun (FUHSI) in Osun State. The lecture, themed “Climate Change, Cities and Infections: The Triple Nexus Shaping Urban Health,” highlighted the growing public health risks posed by rapid urbanisation and climate change.

She explained that in many densely populated settlements, families are forced to share communal toilets, makeshift drainage systems, and polluted water sources, conditions that easily turn minor infections into widespread public health threats. According to her, the rapid expansion of African cities without corresponding infrastructure development has created environments where diseases spread quickly and efficiently.

Ogunsola noted that many cities on the continent are increasingly becoming hotspots for climate-driven infections due to the speed of urban growth and the fragility of healthcare, sanitation, and drainage systems meant to support rising populations. She stressed that as cities expand, critical infrastructure often lags behind, leaving residents vulnerable to outbreaks.

The UNILAG VC further linked rising temperatures to the increased survival and spread of disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes and flies. She said warmer climates enable these vectors to breed faster, live longer, and transmit diseases throughout the year rather than seasonally, especially in stagnant and poorly managed urban environments.

She also identified air pollution as a major but underestimated driver of respiratory infections in African cities, noting that the widespread use of diesel generators, firewood, and fossil fuels weakens immunity and worsens chronic illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly.

Calling for urgent action, Ogunsola urged governments, institutions, and communities to adopt proactive strategies, including climate adaptation policies, strengthened public health surveillance, expanded research, and technological innovation to protect urban populations.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUHSI, Prof. Akeem Lasisi, described the inaugural lecture as timely and essential, noting that Nigeria and other African countries are already experiencing the combined effects of climate change, extreme heat, and overcrowding in rapidly growing urban centres. He emphasised the need for informed planning and stronger policies to address environmental and public health challenges facing the continent.