The call was made by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, during a visit to a private hospital in Ibadan where two individuals with suspected cholera cases were receiving treatment.
She explained that cholera is a bacterial infection transmitted through contaminated food or water.
Ajetunmobi stated that cholera is highly infectious, causing severe diarrhoea, dehydration, nausea, vomiting, and fever.
She noted that the two suspected cases in Ibadan involved male workers from a construction site in Lekki Peninsula, Lagos State.
However, she reassured the public that there was no cause for alarm as the Ministry and other partners were managing the situation effectively.
The state government’s response includes promotional jingles in English and Yoruba on various media, the immediate inauguration of the Cholera Technical Working Group, the establishment of isolation management centres, and community sensitisation efforts.
Ajetunmobi urged the public to stay safety-conscious, drink water from clean sources, and maintain good hand hygiene by frequently washing hands with soap and water.
Cholera is a significant public health concern in Nigeria.
To prevent and control cholera, it is crucial to implement strong precautions.
Here are some key measures:
1. Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Ensure access to clean and safe drinking water by treating water sources, using filtration systems, and boiling water before consumption.
Promote proper hand hygiene, especially after using the toilet and before handling food, by using soap and clean water.
2. Improve sanitation infrastructure, including the construction and maintenance of latrines and sewage systems to prevent contamination of water sources.
3. Health Education:Conduct community awareness campaigns on the importance of personal and environmental hygiene.
4. Educate the public on recognizing symptoms of cholera and the importance of seeking immediate medical care if symptoms appear.
5. Food Safety:Encourage the proper handling, cooking, and storage of food to avoid contamination.
6. Avoid consuming raw or undercooked seafood and other potentially contaminated food items.
7. Surveillance and Rapid Response:
Establish robust surveillance systems to detect and report cholera cases promptly.
Deploy rapid response teams to areas experiencing outbreaks to provide immediate medical care and control measures.
8. Vaccination:Use oral cholera vaccines (OCVs) in high-risk areas as a preventive measure.
Integrate vaccination campaigns with other public health interventions to enhance coverage and effectiveness.
9. Healthcare Infrastructure:Strengthen healthcare facilities to manage cholera cases effectively, ensuring they are equipped with necessary supplies like oral rehydration salts (ORS) and intravenous fluids.
Train healthcare workers on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cholera cases.
10. Coordination and Collaboration:Foster collaboration between government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international bodies to coordinate cholera prevention and control efforts.
11. Ensure adequate funding and resources are allocated for cholera preparedness and response activities.
By implementing these strong precautions, the spread of cholera in Nigeria can be significantly reduced, protecting public health and saving lives.
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