El Niño: Why Nigeria’s Healthcare System Must Prepare

When we hear about El Niño, we often think about the weather: rising temperatures, changing rainfall and the possibility of floods or drought.

But the effects can reach far beyond the weather forecast. They can influence the water people drink, the food they eat, the illnesses they face and their ability to access healthcare.

For Nigeria’s healthcare sector, El Niño is a reminder that preparing for climate-related health risks is also part of preparing to deliver quality care.

What is El Niño?

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that begins with unusually warm ocean temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. This warming influences atmospheric patterns and can change temperatures and rainfall in different parts of the world.

Its effects are not the same everywhere. One region may experience drier conditions, while another may see heavier rainfall. Even within the same country, the impact can vary depending on local conditions and the time of year. who.int

For West Africa, the relationship between El Niño and rainfall is complex. Other climate systems also play a role, so an El Niño event does not guarantee a particular outcome for every Nigerian state or community. Local forecasts remain essential. ict.cilss.int

Why should healthcare providers pay attention?

Changing weather conditions can affect people’s health in several ways. These risks depend on what happens locally, how exposed a community is and how prepared its health services are.

Heat and dehydration

Periods of extreme heat can increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. They can also place additional strain on people living with existing health conditions.

Young children, older adults, pregnant women, outdoor workers and people with chronic illnesses may be particularly vulnerable. Pan American Health Organization

Healthcare providers can help by sharing information on heat protection, recognising heat-related illness early and ensuring facilities are prepared to manage patients during hotter periods.

Waterborne diseases

When flooding occurs, it can contaminate water sources and increase the risk of diarrhoeal diseases, including cholera. Water shortages can also make it harder for communities to maintain adequate sanitation and hygiene. Pan American Health Organization

For healthcare facilities, this makes access to safe water, infection prevention and early identification of unusual increases in cases especially important.

Changes in malaria risk

Rainfall, temperature and humidity can influence mosquito breeding and malaria transmission. However, the effect is not uniform: risk may increase in some places and decrease in others.

That is why healthcare providers need to pay attention to local disease patterns, rather than assume that every community will experience the same change. who.int

Food security and nutrition

Drought, flooding and other weather disruptions can affect farming, livelihoods and access to food. Where food becomes less available or affordable, vulnerable households may face greater nutritional challenges.

Children, pregnant women and communities already experiencing food insecurity may need additional support. Pan American Health Organization

The pressure on healthcare facilities

Climate-related events do not only affect the number of people who need care. They can also make it harder for healthcare facilities to provide it.

Flooding can damage roads and delay patients, staff and medical supplies. Disruptions to water or power can affect facility operations. At the same time, an increase in illness can place more pressure on already busy healthcare teams. Pan American Health Organization

For a hospital, preparedness means asking questions before an emergency happens:

• Can patients and staff reach the facility during severe weather?
• Are essential medicines and supplies available?
• How will the facility maintain access to power, water and patient records during a disruption?
• Can staff identify and report unusual changes in disease patterns?
• What information do patients need to protect themselves?

The answers will differ from one facility to another, but the goal is the same: keep essential care available when communities need it most.

Where digital health can help

Reliable information is an important part of preparedness. When patient records are organised and accessible, healthcare teams can review cases, support continuity of care and make more informed operational decisions.

Digital systems can also help facilities monitor their own service activity and manage resources. But technology is only one part of the solution. Strong public health surveillance, trained healthcare workers, reliable infrastructure and clear emergency plans remain essential.

At Axtute Digital Health, we believe resilient healthcare requires systems that support providers in their day-to-day work and help them prepare for disruptions.

Through LafiaLink, our healthcare platform, we aim to help healthcare facilities manage patient information and connect key aspects of their operations. Our approach also recognises that dependable power and internet connectivity matter when healthcare teams rely on digital systems.

Preparing today for the health challenges of tomorrow

El Niño is a climate phenomenon, but its possible consequences are human.

The question for healthcare providers is not whether every predicted risk will happen in every location. It is whether our facilities and communities are ready to respond when conditions change.

By following local forecasts, strengthening preparedness plans, protecting essential services and using information effectively, Nigeria’s healthcare sector can be better positioned to support patients through climate-related challenges.

At Axtute Digital Health, we remain committed to supporting healthcare providers with tools that strengthen care delivery and help build a more resilient healthcare system.