<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> The impact of gas flaring in Ubeji metropolis, relative to other communities of Delta is of interest. This study assessed the environmental impact of gas flaring in Ubeji metropolis of Delta State. The objective of this study is to study the comparative assessment of the environmental impacts of gas flaring on five communities of unequal distance from gas flaring site.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> Questionnaire survey was used to evaluate three research questions that included the level of knowledge in the survey communities regarding health impact of gas flaring; prevalence level of assessed health conditions in Ubeji metropolis relative to communities farther from or nearer to Warri gas flaring site; and perceived impact of gas flaring on air quality indicated by health and environmental toxicity indices.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Descriptive evaluation of data shows Ubeji appears to have the highest proportion of persons suffering respiratory problems, but the figure for family members is less than some other communities. The respondents nearer flaring site show more awareness compared to those farther away. Critical evaluation showed no directional change in prevalence of disease linked to gas flaring. There is linear relationship between ‘distance to gas flare site’ and ‘toxic impact on air quality’.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> This report submits further data to the discourse that, on the basis of nearness to gas flaring site, there is significant difference between communities experience of environmental and health impact.</p><p> </p>

<p>The Nigerian gas flares emit as many imaginable pollutants that cause several health concerns. However, there is no comprehensive study done on the health impact of gas flaring on humans in Delta state. Hence, this paper seeks to identify the risks associated with gas flaring in relation to human health and the knowledge of gas flaring in the communities of Delta region of Nigeria. Following a non-systematic approach to develop this narrative, <strong>s</strong>tudies that link various diseases such as hypertension, cancers, birth defects, diabetes, respiratory problems, cardiovascular and kidney disease to gas flaring in the region, the risk perception and the policies and regulations were examined. Findings from most of the papers reviewed show an association between gas flaring and the diseases identified and prevalence of most of the diseases in oil and gas communities compared to areas where gas flaring is not practiced. In conclusion, insufficient data on the prevalence and association of diseases such as hypertension, cancers, birth defects, diabetes, respiratory problems, cardiovascular and kidney disease with gas flaring were some of the gaps identified. These results necessitate the need for epidemiological studies on the health effects of gas flaring on humans.</p>

<p class="abstract">Gas flaring is the combustion of associated gas from crude-oil exploitation and exploration operations and occurs in refineries, oil wells, oil rigs by fiery of the gas. Nigeria is one of the main producers of gas in the world and oil exploration activities have occasioned high rate of gas flaring because of poor enforcement of anti-gas flaring laws by the regulatory authorities. Gas flaring comes with serious environmental concern because it is a major source of air pollution with adverse public health consequences particularly in the gas flaring communities. The objective of this narrative review is to identify the risks associated with gas flaring in relation to the environment. Literatures from diverse databases including peer reviewed journals as well as governmental and organizational papers were searched to develop the narrative. Over the years, several laws have been enacted in Nigeria with stipulated dates to end gas flaring, but the targets have not been met. The Federal government of Nigeria updated the legal framework titled flare gas (prevention of waste and pollution) regulations, 2018 to facilitate financial profits through utilization and commercialization of associated gas, with a view to reduce or exterminate flaring. This effort appears ineffective due to weak enforcement and poor monitoring mechanism. The statutory government institution entrusted to enforce anti-gas law may benefit from some sort of motivation to ensure oil operators comply to combat environmental health risks from gas flaring.</p>

Background: Pollutants are released into the atmosphere by gas flaring, and these cause a range of health problems, including heart disease and respiratory disorders. This article assesses the opinion and perception of the community regarding association between gas flaring and prevalence of diseases. Methodology: This research followed a descriptive quantitative approach. Purposive survey using 2 Likert scale questionnaires was adopted, and the first questionnaire collected data on distance to gas flare site, health status and family health history, amongst others. The second collected data on perception and knowledge-based opinions regarding association and correlation. Summated Likert scale were collated and descriptive and correlation analysis between distance to gas flare site and number of diseases in respondents and their families were done. Results: In this purposive survey, there is no correlation between nearness to gas flare and prevalence of diseases. There appears no difference in communities proximal to flare sites compared to non-host communities farther from site. Multivariate analysis further shows that no statistically significant difference between groups, except in comparison of perceptions. Conclusion: This investigation shows a variation from previous observation in this series i.e. that distance to gas flare site is a potential factor influencing community members’ perception about their health impact, but the surveyed opinion of healthcare workers differs. This implies that nearness to gas flare sites mediate perception of negative health impact and this calls for further research to delineate perception from knowledge-based opinion.

Epidemiology can be said to be the branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution, and also possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health. Thus, epidemiology includes controlled clinical evaluations of different treatment methods; comparative assessment of lifestyle factors, such as smoking, drugs, and drinking habits; estimations of the risks of occupational factors; and cross-sectional and time-series analyses of factors that may affect health. To identify epidemiology of respiratory distress in pregnancy and new born. 34 international publications on respiratory distress disease in pregnancy and new born were reviewed for the presentation of this article. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a frequent newborn morbidity worldwide with reported prevalence of 18.5% in France, 4.24% in Pakistan and 20.5% in China. 20% of all global maternal deaths happen in Nigeria. Total number of maternal deaths in 2015 in the 46 most developed countries was 1700, resulting in a maternal mortality ratio of 12 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Given the state of the economy in the low and middle-income countries, Nigeria, like most of the other countries lack the resources (material, manpower and financial) require for optimal newborn care services. Newborn respiratory distress affects almost half of newborns. It is a major cause of neonatal admissions and has a high mortality rate. Many of its significant risk factors and etiologies are preventable. Adequate follow-up of pregnant women and during labor are of great necessity for early detection of risk factors and timely intervention in order to prevent the occurrence of neonatal respiratory distress.