By Doris Obinna
The Katsina State government said it has recorded 118 suspected cases out of which two were confirmed, disclosing that it was putting in place proactive measures to curtail the possible outbreak of the disease.
The Director of Epidemiology, state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Kabir Suleiman, stated this in Katsina.
“Based on our records, around March this year, we had an outbreak of cholera in Kusada Local Government. There were 68 suspected cases, with two confirmed cases and one death.
“The situation was effectively managed by the government, together with the development partners,” he said.
This came as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) 528 confirmed cases of Cholera with 53 deaths in about 117 local governments across 31 states.
Suleiman noted that recently, about 118 suspected cholera samples were taken for laboratory tests.
According to him, all the cases were negative. “So, for now, we don’t have new cholera cases. But, the state is fully prepared for any emergency. Basically, we can coordinate any outbreak that can affect the state at any point in time.”
President Bola Tinubu, has since approved the establishment of a multi-sectoral cabinet committee on the control of the epidemic, headed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.
Meanwhile, Lagos State Government has announced a significant improvement in daily Cholera cases from the spike reported two weeks ago.
Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said no new cholera-related deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, while acknowledging evidence of ongoing low-grade community transmission, because a few cases were still being presented to the hospitals.
Abayomi, who disclosed this while providing an update on the cholera outbreak following the “One Health” Inter-governmental agency strategic meeting held over the weekend, revealed that although no new cholera-related deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, the government was intensifying countermeasures to completely eliminate transmission.
He noted that the reduction in new daily cases and the absence of new deaths indicate that interventions were bearing dividends, but more importantly, that residents were adhering to public health information and advice on safety measures, and the need for early presentation to health facilities when symptoms develop.
However, he reported that a small outbreak of 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis occurred at Kirikiri Medium Security Prisons, confirmed to be caused by Cholera, adding that urgent medical and environmental intervention measures had been implemented with success.
The commissioner emphasised the need for continued vigilance and adherence to public health precautionary measures, in addition to the government’s interventions.
While imploring the public to also take personal responsibility for consuming safe water, food and beverages, ensuring good personal hygiene, starting oral rehydration therapy, and presenting immediately to hospitals if symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting develop, he noted that treatment of suspected cholera remains free of charge in all the government hospitals.
He said there was no need for the public to panic and that with continued collaboration, vigilance, and commitment from all stakeholders, the state was taking decisive actions to effectively combat and control the spread of cholera, safeguarding the health and well-being of its residents.
However, some Lagos residents have decried the poor access to public water by the Lagos State Water Corporation (LWC), amid the cholera outbreak.
They spoke against the backdrop of the LWC assurance that the state public water is the most safe because it conforms with the World Health Organisation’s standards.
They said they had been relying on boreholes for so many years given that the state’s public water had not been working, thereby exposing them to water borne diseases.
Mrs. Abimbola Oloyede said public water had not been functioning in Egbeda and Alimosho in general.
“I don’t use public water in my area. Unavailability of public water led to increased household expenditure both in buying sachet water for drinking and borehole water in gallons for other domestic use.
“This adds an extra financial burden on the residents, who are struggling already and posing environmental challenges with the littering of the sachet water.”
She urged the Lagos State Water Corporation to ensure the availability of public water to the residents to make access to clean and safe drinking water a reality.
Another resident, who lives in Ikorodu, Mrs. Bolaji Adesewa, said the LWC had not been working in the area for many years.
“We all have boreholes that we depend on. Even though we cannot drink it, we use it for domestic use.
“We are also careful of the water we drink because of the outbreak of cholera in town. The LWC should act fast, so we can enjoy potable water in Ikorodu. Water scarcity also challenges the ability of residents to keep up with sanitation and healthy living habits,” she said.
Mr. Ayo Musari, a resident in the Lekki area, said he had not seen any sign of LWC in his area since he started living there.
“I buy water to drink, which is expensive. And you know, we all need to be very careful because of the cholera outbreak in town.
“The LWC needs to be well-funded. With this, everyone will have access to safe and potable water that is free from contamination,” he said.
Mrs. Omowunmi Abeeb, a civil servant and resident in Ebute-Metta, said LWC was not functional in their area, adding that they stopped getting public water a long time ago.
“In the 90s, there used to be public water, but it suddenly stopped, and we resorted to boreholes.
“We spend a lot on water, and more on the water we drink because we won’t want to drink from the boreholes. We hope that the old times will come back, where the LWC will be very effective in water delivery,” she said.
But, Mrs. Idayat Komolafe, a resident who lives around Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island, said LWC has been supplying water to the area since the outbreak of cholera.
“We don’t have a good water system on Lagos Island, as what we have is contaminated, thereby causing a lot of communicable diseases. We hope that the LWC will change and also get the water across to the rest of the city,” she said.
An environmental consultant, Mr. Taiwo Adewole, said many people in the Lagos areas do not have access to public water.
“Almost every household in the state has its borehole, while some depend on well water, especially in the low income communities.
On the health implications of unavailability of water in Lagos State, Dr Tunji Akintade, general physician, said past tests had confirmed contamination of some boreholes and well water by pathogens.
Akintade added that nylon water was unsafe for consumption.
“People can get cholera by drinking unsafe water or eating food contaminated with cholera bacteria,” he said.
However, the Executive Director, Operations, LWC, Mrs Helen Omolanke, assured residents of safe and potable water, advising everyone to maintain good hygiene.