Aliyu Alhaji A, Amadu Lawal
Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Ann Afr Med. 2017 Oct-Dec;16(4):149-158. doi: 10.4103/aam.aam_1_17.
The Nigerian society is rapidly becoming urban as a result of a multitude of push and pull factors. This has generated urban health crises among city dwellers notably the urban poor. A systematic search of published literature in English was conducted between 1960 and 2015. Published peer review journals, abstracts, Gray literature (technical reports, government documents, reports, etc.), inaugural lectures, and internet articles were reviewed. Manual search of reference lists of selected articles were checked for further relevant studies. The review showed that the pace of urbanization is unprecedented with cities such as Lagos having annual urban growth rate of 5.8%. Urbanization in Nigeria is mainly demographically driven without commensurate socioeconomic dividends and benefits to the urban environment. This has created urban health crises of inadequate water safe supply, squalor and shanty settlements, sanitation, solid waste management, double burden of diseases and inefficient, congested, and risky transport system. In conclusion, when managed carefully, urbanization could reduce hardship and human suffering; on the other hand, it could also increase poverty and squalor. Some laws need to be amended to change the status of poor urban settlements. Urban health development requires intersectoral approach with political will and urban renewal program to make our urban societies sustainable that promote healthy living.
由于众多的推力和拉力因素，尼日利亚社会正迅速城市化。这在城市居民尤其是城市贫困人口中引发了城市健康危机。在1960年至2015年期间，对已发表的英文文献进行了系统检索。对已发表的同行评审期刊、摘要、灰色文献（技术报告、政府文件、报告等）、就职演讲和互联网文章进行了审查。对所选文章的参考文献列表进行人工检索，以查找进一步的相关研究。审查表明，城市化的速度是前所未有的，像拉各斯这样的城市年城市增长率为5.8%。尼日利亚的城市化主要由人口因素驱动，没有给城市环境带来相应的社会经济红利和好处。这造成了城市健康危机，包括安全供水不足、肮脏和棚户区、卫生设施、固体废物管理、疾病双重负担以及低效、拥堵和危险的交通系统。总之，如果管理得当，城市化可以减少困苦和人类苦难；另一方面，它也可能加剧贫困和肮脏。需要修订一些法律，以改变城市贫困住区的状况。城市健康发展需要跨部门方法，要有政治意愿和城市更新计划，以使我们的城市社会可持续发展，促进健康生活。
