By Ibrahima Yakubu
As temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, outdoor workers, farmers, street vendors, drivers, and other vulnerable groups are facing increasing health risks from extreme heat, a challenge experts say is receiving insufficient attention.
Unlike floods and droughts that often attract public attention, the health impacts of rising temperatures remain a silent crisis affecting millions of people who spend several hours working under direct sunlight to earn a living.
Across many communities, farmers, construction workers, motorcycle riders, traders, and transport workers are experiencing heat-related challenges, including dehydration, exhaustion, dizziness, and reduced productivity.
For smallholder farmers who depend on agriculture for survival, rising temperatures are making farming activities more difficult. Many farmers are forced to work under harsh weather conditions, while unpredictable climate patterns continue to affect crop production.
Street vendors and market traders who operate in open spaces are also among those exposed to extreme heat. Without adequate shade, clean water, or cooling facilities, many spend long hours under intense sunlight, putting their health at risk.
Health experts warn that prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to serious conditions such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, particularly among elderly people, children, and individuals with existing health challenges.
Women and children are also vulnerable to the growing heat crisis. Many women involved in farming and trading face longer exposure to high temperatures while balancing household responsibilities. Children walking long distances to school or engaging in outdoor activities are equally affected.
However, some communities are adopting measures to cope with the impact of rising temperatures. Farmers are embracing climate-smart agricultural practices, including the use of heat-resistant crops, improved irrigation methods, and adjusting farming activities to cooler periods of the day.
Environmental organisations and climate advocates are also promoting tree planting, public awareness campaigns, access to clean water, and improved climate information services as ways to reduce the impact of extreme heat.
Experts are calling on governments and stakeholders to develop heat action plans that protect outdoor workers and vulnerable communities from increasing temperatures.
They also urged journalists to focus more on the human stories behind climate change by reporting how rising temperatures are affecting ordinary people and highlighting solutions that can help communities adapt.
As climate change continues to increase global temperatures, experts say protecting people from extreme heat must become a priority, because the effects are already being felt by those working under the sun every day.
The rising heat may not always be visible, but its impact on human health is becoming impossible to ignore.
