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From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Borno State Government has rolled out measures to prevent the spread of cholera in schools across the state as cases rise to 4,204.
Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Wakilbe, announced the measures yesterday through a directive to all education secretaries, school administrators, principals and head teachers in Maiduguri, the state capital and six other local government areas affected by the outbreak.
Wakilbe noted that cholera spreads rapidly through contaminated food and water, particularly in crowded environments such as schools. He stressed the need for heightened vigilance to safeguard students, teachers and other school personnel.
“Following the confirmed cholera alert in Maiduguri and surrounding communities, all schools must immediately activate their Epidemic Prevention and Control Plans in line with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remain our utmost priority.”
He also directed schools to strengthen Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices by ensuring regular hand-washing with soap and clean water, provision of multiple hand-washing stations, access to safe drinking water and the prohibition of unpackaged water and food from unapproved vendors within school premises.
He also asked schools to enforce strict food safety standards, conduct daily environmental sanitation exercises and ensure proper waste disposal and drainage maintenance to prevent contamination.
He charged school administrators, principals and head teachers to ensure any student or staff member showing symptoms such as severe watery diarrhoea, vomiting or rapid dehydration is immediately isolated and referred for medical attention.
“Suspected cases must be reported within two hours to the nearest primary health care centre, the local government disease surveillance officer and the ministry,” he warned.
Statistics released by the state official on Monday showed that death tolls from the cholera outbreak have also risen to 39 from 37 earlier reported. The first cholera case was reported in Maiduguri on May 1 and it has spread to six LGAs.
