By Abubakar Yakubu, Abuja
If a soothsayer had told Hajiya Bilikisu Ahmad (a housewife) that she would break her fast midway on Monday, she would have passionately denied it as a devoted Muslim.
Like every other healthy Muslim woman, on that day by 4 am, she woke up to prepare food for her husband, two children and herself to observe the Ramadan Fast and held on to the ritual.
But that was until the Zuhri prayers in the afternoon, when she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed.
Luck was on her side, as there was a nurse in the compound who quickly rushed to revive her.
The case was different for Maman Zainab, a 42 year-old housewife, who, while attending a Ramadan Tasfir lecture with other females at a Mosque in Gawu, Abaji Area Council of the FCT, she slumped and died penultimate Tuesday.
The woman had no sign of illness when she left her house in company with three of her female neighbours to attend the lecture at about 11 am. But suddenly became uncomfortable and died inside the Mosque.
The same fate also caught up with AbdulRasheed Usman, another devoted Muslim, who penultimate Saturday slumped and died while breaking his fast at Kutunku area of Gwagwalada Area Council in the FCT.
Neighbours disclosed that Usman had just returned from Kaduna looking hale and healthy and joined a group of his friends to break his fast after the Magrib Prayers was called, when the incident happened.
Hajiya Ahmad, who survived, blamed her ordeal on the hot weather and said the clothes she wore did not favour the weather as she felt all her body on fire.
“I was totally uncomfortable and wanted to pray first before pouring water over my body, but the next thing I realised was finding myself on the ground and people pouring water on my face to revive me,” she said.
She said due to the economic situation in the country, her family no longer eat fruits, as a ball of water melon costs between N6000 and N7,000.
Abdullahi Ibrahim, a site engineer, said the heat wave is causing a lot of inconveniences to Muslims during this period.
He said in the site he supervises, workers who are fasting complain of the heat wave and have come up with a strategy where they stop work at 1 pm until the break of fast at 6 .45 pm. They then continue after prayers in the night.
According to him, before fasting started, he drilled his body to be accustomed to only morning and night food.
“I am accustomed to not eating in the afternoon and that is why I am very agile at work in the afternoon,” he stated.
He said while eating food in the morning to begin the fast, he takes a lot of water and tea, adding that after the break of fast, he consumes about three different types of food with fruits.
Shaka Abdulkareem, another Muslim, said due to power outages most times in his area, it is difficult for him to drink chilled water in the morning before fasting.
He complained of hardship and said he takes only Kunu drink in the morning and buys food from food vendors to break his fast.
“I prefer to buy food from Hausa food vendors as theirs is cheaper compared to those from other tribes.
“For example, a ball of Tuwo in my area at Jikwoyi sells for N100. And if I buy four for N400, it will satisfy me instead of going to a normal restaurant owned by food vendors from other tribes to buy a plate of food for between N1,200 to N2,000,” he said.
Abdulkareem advised the management of the FCT Administration to fix water flowing taps in various locations in the territory so that people suffering from heat wave could go to such places to wash their faces and heads.
“You see such taps in foreign countries and it is high time we had them here,” he stressed,
Reacting to the deaths, The Chairman of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Abuja Chapter, Ustaz Yunus Salahudeen, consoled families of the deceased persons and prayed for Allah to accept their souls as well as grant them Nuur in their graves and protect their families during this difficult times.
He said in view of the prevailing heat during the ongoing Ramadan fast, MURIC Abuja chapter had some words of advice for Muslims.
“They should stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water during Sahur and Iftaar; eat fruits like water melon and cucumber; eat light balanced meals; avoid staying out during peak heat hours (11am to 3pm); wear lightweight clothes; rest in shaded or air-conditioned places; and seek medical advice if you experience dizziness, headache and nausea.”
He called on wealthy Muslims to assist the less privilege during this period by giving Sadaqah and Zakat.
“Leaders and individuals should engage with local communities by providing aids, support and guidance,” he added
Also reacting to the incidents during the Ramadan, Dr. Wisdom Ihejieto, a consultant and public health practitioner, said the sudden deaths are a portrayal of the harsh conditions faced by the average Nigerians.
“This goes to increase the anger, hunger and hazardous health conditions of the people of below average economic conditions.
“While I might not be certain about what is responsible for the cause of deaths in the narratives, it is a known fact that the harsh economic condition has led to poor assessment of the health status of most people, especially in this period when hunger on its own is so bad that death could arise from it.
“Fasting which is a relatively harsh condition on its own, although with some health benefits could also lead to worsening health conditions, especially to the vulnerable members of our society,” he reasoned.
He disclosed further that poor nutritional intake and lack of food nutrients can worsen underline disease conditions, thereby leading to bad health conditions or even death.
According to him, fasting on its own without underline health conditions have some benefits and he listed the benefits to include blood sugar control, especially in diabetic situation; fighting inflammation in the body, thereby leading to better health conditions; improves heart health and brain functions; helps in weight loss by decrease calories intake; better control of metabolism; increased growth hormone levels seen during fasting could lead to growth metabolism; increase longevity; cancer prevention; effectiveness of chemotherapy agents or drugs.
“However, all of these benefits can only be seen in a nutritionally stable personality with little or no underline disease condition,” he explained.
He posited further that fasting could also worsen health conditions in patients with poor health status and hidden underline disease conditions.
This he noted is applicable in the country these days, where the cost of food is hitting the roof-top with little or no economic back-ups to purchase.
He also said it is worse in environs where poor economic situations cannot allow most people to go for medical check-ups in order to early detect hidden adverse health conditions.
“Presently, most people are thinking of what to eat. They don’t pay adequate attention to health assessment and this is really sad, especially during the fasting period,” he disclosed.
Dr. Ihejieto listed other adverse effect of fasting to include worsening ulcer conditions in patients with peptic ulcer and gastritis; increase vomiting, fainting attacks, dizziness, hypoglycemic (decreased sugar level in the blood and brain); death after faint attacks, if emergency intervention is not gotten.
He advised that people who are sick or have worsening health conditions should be excluded from fasting on health grounds, insisting that Christianity and Islam have taken cognizance of this by excluding sick people from fasting.
The doctor disclosed further that the very vulnerable in the society such as women with advanced pregnancy, children and the very elderly should also be excused from the tough conditions associated sometimes with fasting to prevent health adversity.