Spatial Assessment of Health Outcomes and Complications of Gas Flared Pollutants on Residents within Operational Radius of Agbada II Flow Station, Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Gas flaring do not only contribute to contamination and deterioration of the air quality of surrounding areas but also has adverse environmental and public health implications. The main focus of this study was to unravel the health outcomes and complications prevalent among residents around Agbada II flow station in Rivers State.  The experimental research design was adopted while the data for this study were sourced from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data included air quality parameters recorded at various sampled locations while the secondary data included different health challenges obtained from the archive of the health centre within the flaring sites in the study area. The statistical tool employed to analyze the data were Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The relationship between O3, NO2, SO2, VOC and PM2.5, CH4, H2S and the health challenges in the area showed positive correlation at P<0.05. On the other hand, ANOVA revealed that the spatial variation in health challenges within the flared pollutants area was equally significant at P<0.05 (CD-. F=10.40109, sig = 0.00, Cancer F=12.30989, sig = 0.00; ND- F=13.32089, sig = 0.00; GD- F=12.30989, sig = 0.00; KD- F=9.21989, sig = 0.00; LD- F=5.32989, sig = 0.00; SD-F=8.81089, sig = 0.00; A- F=9.41989, sig = 0.00; B- F=14.10089, sig = 0.00 and COPD-F=32.21979, sig = 0.00). Arising from the foregoing, reduction in the quantity of gas flared at source, diversion of ecological fund into massive investment in functional, accessible and affordable healthcare infrastructure, stringent enforcement of zero tolerance for defaulting companies on the regulations and laws on flaring of gases, enactment of laws prohibiting construction of housing facilities in proximity to gas flaring sites were recommended for urgent takeoff.