By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar on Monday disclosed that Cholera outbreak has so far claimed 938 lives in 22 states.
He stated this at a press briefing to sensitize the Media and general public on the Cholera outbreak in the country.
According to him “Latest situation report from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released on 10th August 2021 indicated a total number of 33,661 suspected cases including 938 deaths in 22 states and FCT(Benue, Delta, Zamfara, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kogi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Cross River, Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Enugu, Borno, Kastina, Adamawa and FCT) with increasing number of new cases in, Zamfara, Bauchi, Kano, Gombe, Plateau, Niger, Zamfara and Abuja FCT.
“Cholera which is a sanitation and hygiene enabled disease is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of unwholesome food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It remains a global threat to public health and affects both children and adults and can kill if untreated.
“It is an extremely virulent disease that takes between 12 hours and 5 days for symptoms to manifest. The symptoms are watery diarrhoea, dehydration, pain in abdomen, nausea, vomiting e.t.c. Cholera outbreak is a seasonal public health event in Nigeria, occurring annually mostly during the rainy season and more often in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene practices.
He attributed the recent outbreak largely to collective behaviours and attitude towards environmental sanitation and hygiene practices which are very poor.
“This year’s outbreak is very serious and has continued to ravage many states with more fatalities being reported on a daily basis
He said the Federal Ministry of Environment has activated the Sanitation Desks in the 36 State Ministries of Environment and FCT urging them to carry out environmental sanitation activities in their various states aimed at containing the outbreak.
“The Ministry has also requested the Environmental Health Officers in the states and local governments across the country to intensity their efforts in carrying out sanitary inspection of premises and abatement of nuisances that could result to diseases outbreak such as cholera, Lassa fever. e.t.c
He added “the Federal Ministry of Environment will be flagging off National Environmental Sanitation Response Intervention to Cholera Outbreak in Kubwa, Abuja which is currently the epi-centre in the FCT.
“Afterwards, the Ministry in collaboration with relevant stakeholders including Environmental Health Officer’s (EHO’s) in the states and local Government Areas will embark on nationwide intervention response activities covering Sanitary inspection of premises/Environmental Health Surveillance of hotspot communities, disinfection of contaminated water sources/sites, strengthening capacity of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) in the State Ministries of Environment and the affected LGAs, Sanitary inspection of food business premises of affected communities.
Others according to the Minister are advocacy, Sensitization and Community Town Hall meetings on control of Open Defecation practices and its health impact, Sanitary inspection of Schools (Primary & Secondary) in affected communities, Training of community volunteers on safe water handling, environmental sanitation and hygiene practices and Working with the State and Local Governments to ensure enforcement of relevant Environmental Sanitation Laws, Standards, Regulations and Guidelines in all the communities.
“Meanwhile citizens are advised to imbibe good sanitation and hygiene practices and take preventive and control measures such as Keeping the environment clean; Ensuring the use of clean and safe water; Washing hands regularly with soap and running water especially at critical moments such as after using the toilet, after coughing or sneezing; after cleaning a child who has gone to the toilet; after touching books and money; before preparing food; before (and after eating); and after playing with animals, Avoiding open defecation; Cooking food well, keeping it covered and eating it hot; Disposing wastes regularly and at designated collection centres;
The Minister charged all state Governments, Commissioners of Environment, Local Government Chairmen/Councillors and Environmental Health Officers across the country to step up their sanitation and hygiene programmes and activities to control and prevent further outbreak and spread of cholera in our Country.
