Have Their Say On The Subject Of Bedbugs
A certain favorite teacher in the University of Ibadan's Anatomy course has a certain axiom by which he encourages students to take up political participation. "The majority have their way and the minority have their say". In other words, democracy is such a wonderful system, because there is power in being heard. And while not everybody's voice can cause change, the power and privilege of being heard counts even where change is uncertain. This article is not about a voice powerful enough to cause change, it is about being heard.
"Ah, bedbugs! Those tiny creatures really humbled me. I used to think mosquitoes were the worst until bedbugs turned my hostel room into a battleground. Every night felt like a survival episode. I barely slept, woke up scratching, and my skin looked like I went hiking through a thorn bush. But on a serious note, bedbugs affect me. The bites cause irritation, lack of sleep affects focus in class, and the mental stress of knowing something's feeding on you at night is real. It’s uncomfortable, embarrassing, and exhausting. And yes, you can include my name Great Theophilus. I speak as a victim... and survivor".
Great Theophilus, 200 level, Independence Hall
This Bedbug of a thing, scientifically called "Climex leticularis" is a small, wingless, parasitic insect which feeds mainly on human blood. This pest hides within bunks, mattresses, tables and clothing. They are easily spread in overcrowded environments, often by contact with infested items and spaces. The bedbug issue is such a serious crisis that it is now culture for affected students to sacrifice their mattresses; newly purchased on resumption, to the god of cautionary tales at the end of every session.
"Thank you for reaching out and I’m glad to help with your article. Bedbugs can be extremely distressing, especially in hostel settings. From my experience, the biggest effects were persistent itching, skin rashes, loss of sleep, and constant anxiety. It affected concentration, rest, and overall wellbeing. Waking up repeatedly at night and worrying about being bitten again was honestly exhausting."
Olawale Muideen, 100-level, Sultan Bello Hall.
This article contains a slew of responses from sour victors, sore victims and current sufferers alike. They are excerpts of war stories heard from students, heartbreaking and gut-wrenching, possibly mildly traumatizing for other affected subjects. These are tales of how people have adapted to defeat and are managing the circumstances of their environment.
"Bed bugsss, as they say, the only insect that can collect your space on the bed. Having to deal with bed bugs in my hostel is one of the things I never wanted in my life. I remember my very first day in school. I just moved inside my hostel and I was sleeping on my bed for the very first time ...I screamed out of my sleep, I had some staylites in my room, they didn't even bother checking, all I could hear is "Welcome to UI". The greatest issue I have ever had with my hostel is not dirty environment or bad toilets, it's bed bugs. It is just so funny how those small insects can chase you away from your bed. They are blessed with so many things. Is it reproduction? They reproduce very fast. Is it camouflage? They are very good at it. I remember one day, I got to class and opened my book and there it was lying in the middle of my own book. As small as they are, they wield power and have just one mission, to suck the blood out of you. I really wish I never had to deal with them because they stress students a lot. Imagine coming back from class to sleep and you can't simply because they have infested your bed. You can't even use your own space anymore. That's how powerful those things are. I hope and I wish I never have to encounter these insects again".
Elijah, a Zik Hall resident.
Although, bedbugs are not proven to transmit deadly diseases, their presence poses serious health and psychological problems, especially among students.
- Secondary infections due to scratching caused by bedbug bites. These can affect the physical and mental health of students already struggling to cope.
- Swelling, rashes, and blisters in sensitive individuals.
- Allergic reactions in worse cases, which might be quite severe, requiring hospital stay and expensive drugs.
- Sleep deprivation due to fear of being bitten at night.
- Anxiety, stress, embarrassment and reduced concentration.
- Fear of hostels.
Imagine a small tiny insect having all this power over homo sapien.
"This is bringing back memories (that I probably don’t want to remember). For a while, I’d been having a little feel of it, but I really didn’t put much thought to it ’cause they were more on my roommate’s side, not mine. Now, there's this piece of Ankara I hang on the door when the sunlight gets too much. The piece of Ankara sometimes doubles as a towel when I wash my towel. So this day I washed the towel and I wanted to remove the Ankara to take my bath. Unknowingly to me, bugs had already infested it. I just carried the Ankara, flung it onto my bed. Chaiiii. That’s how I couldn’t use my bed till I finished my exams. I had to drop the bed outside and use some powder I bought from a friend, but PTSD wouldn’t allow me to bring it back in. I was just saying, 'Well, it’s exam period who wants to sleep?' as a copium".
Anonymous, Kuti Hall
This rant against joy-sucking parasites is not merely preaching to the choir. Getting rid of bedbugs will be helpful in the following ways:
- Protect the health of students and allow them deal with academics with less distractions. At least 6 hours of blissful sleep after a long stressful day is a gift. And the ensuing insomnia is nothing to write home about.
- Improve living and learning conditions. A room safe from bedbugs is good for book worms and couch potatoes alike.
- Promotes environmental hygiene.
"In my opinion, bed bugs are tiny insects that cause a lot of harm than the regular bites that people think. They cause irritation and can truncate one's peace of mind. Those bites can even advance into rashes. The bites can impair one's health too. Even the odour they release when they are killed isn't a palatable one. They are some brown insects that suck human blood mercilessly. They leave behind multiple marks after their operation. They don't wait until the night when one is asleep before they bite. They bite every time they get the opportunity. Once, they sense the presence of a human, they begin to come out of their hiding places. It can affect a person's circadian rhythm negatively which in turn weakens academic performance. Some people say that once a place is infested with bed bugs, they can't be eradicated but, I believe there must surely be a solution. Students shouldn't be left to deal with all of that on their own. If the school authority can step in, I believe a lot of measures can be taken to completely exterminate bedbugs in the school".
Olorunniyi Esther, 200 level, Queen Idia hall.
Effective eradication of bedbugs in hostels requires a coordinated and sustained approach. Measures must be put in place to ensure effective monitoring and control. Listed below are suggestions and measures that could be put in place:
- Regular fumigation by trained professionals: In the short survey done, bedbug populations are often minimal at the beginning of the session but undergo population explosion after a semester. Fumigations should be done twice or more in every session, probably after a semester.
- Health education for students on hygiene practices and the importance of early genocide on any budding bedbug infestations.
- Proper hostel maintenance and sanitation.
- Replacement of old mattresses and wooden beds when possible.
- Establishment of a rapid response pest control system.
Bedbug infestation is a serious challenge in public hostels, with significant health, psychological, and environmental consequences. This writer would have added some personal comments, but for the sake of brevity, let's have our say, let the bedbugs not have their way, and leave it this way for today. Again, I say, may the bedbugs not have their way.
Ayomikun Omotayo
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