Ogun Allays Fear Of Cholera Outbreak, Moves To Contain Spread

Ogun State government has acknowledged the outbreak of cholera in the State, as it declared its readiness to contain the spread of the disease effectively and efficiently.

It said 25 cases have been reported in seven local government areas with one death.

Addressing journalists at a press conference on Monday at the Olusegun Osoba Press Centre, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, alongside his Environment counterpart, Mr. Ola Oresanya, named the local governments as Ado-Odo/Ota, Remo North, Odeda, Sagamu, Ijebu-North, Ewekoro and Obafemi-Owode.

According to Dr. Coker, her Ministry is collaborating with relevant stakeholders from the Ministries of Environment, Information and Education, Water Corporation, private hospital owners, emergency services, among others.

“Emergency Operations Centre, having been activated earlier, is now in response mode, each MDA involved in the response is carrying out its responsibilities to curtail and control the outbreak. The Ministry and local government areas, waste, and environmental sanitation department is carrying out activities to curb open defecation and improve environmental hygiene.

“Medication and essential consumables have been repositioned at LGAs and other strategic health facilities to provide hitch free, quality treatment that is free in all government facilities.

“Cholera sanitation materials are being shared to all electronic platforms, including social media, radio, and television. The Ministry of Information and the risk communication pillar are working hard to engage the public on prevention practices, good hygiene, and sanitation,” the commissioner noted.

She identified contaminated food and drinks, unhygienic sanitary conditions and poor personal hygiene as some of the risk factors of the disease, imploring the people to imbibe hand hygiene, washing of food, vegetables, fruits properly before eating as well as avoid open defecation so as not to contact the sickness.

She noted that the State Government was aware of the threat poised by the outbreak and was at all times at alert by putting in place adequate preparation to protect the lives and health of all residents, adding that this has helped to minimize the impact of the outbreak when compared with other states.

The commissioner emphasized that the federal government through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been supportive in the areas of technical assistance and in supplying protective gears to health officials.

While calling on the general public to visit any government health facility for proper examination if they pass watery stool more than twice within eight hours, the the commissioner urged them to call the following telephone numbers 08038642812; 07034214893 and 08084250881 for prompt response.

Contributing, Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya, noted that since cholera would be transmitted through untreated water, his Ministry has despatched its officials with testing kits to test boreholes and other sources of water supply, just as attention would be paid to those producing sachets water.

The environment commissioner also disclosed that public toilets are being built across the State to discourage open defecation while landlords and house owners are being encouraged to provide toilet facilities in their houses.

The representative of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Oluwole Majekodunmi, said no death has been recorded, while monitoring of schools has been intensified with teachers and learners encouraged to make hand washing a habit while the environment should be kept clean at times.

Also speaking, General Manager, Ogun State Water Corporation, Engr (Mrs.) Muinat Jaji, said government has procured enough chemical for water treatment in major water works in the State just as water has been increased from 82 million litres to 162 million litres to ensure that people in Abeokuta have access to portable water.