Due to the current wave of cholera outbreak in Lagos State, the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Lagos State Chapter have cautioned residents of the state on the need to be careful and take proper preventive action.
The President of the association, Sanitarian. Dr. Akinyele Cyril Babasope made this known on Wednesday in a press statement issued on behalf of the association and made available to newsmen.
Dr. Akinyele who urged residents to step up efforts on ensuring that their environments are clean, and advised persons who develop symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting to report to approved health facilities immediately said, all hands of Sanitarians are on deck to prevent further spread of this cholera.
The Lagos State EHOAN’S President who reiterated the readiness of the association in collaborating with the State Government to avert the epidemic said the health workers in the state will continue to maintain a high index of suspicion for cholera and other diseases while consistently observing standard protocols for infection prevention and control.
Dr. Akinyele who explained that the outbreak is as a result of some people’s habit of defecating in and around open places and as well those discharging their feacal matter into the drainage which is harmful to humans health as well as causing contamination of water and food, said when people defecate in an open environment, during a rainy season, most of the water sources become contaminated.
He said, the water people used for drinking and other day-to-day activities became contaminated which subsequently resulted in cholera outbreak and other diseases.
Sanitarian Akinyele appealed to members of the public to own the process by ensuring that proper toilet facilities are provided in residences and when people are outdoors, public toilets or mobile toilets must be used.
“I want to emphasize the importance of maintaining high standards of hygiene and taking proactive measures to prevent cholera outbreak in order to ensure the health and well-being of the citizens”.
It will be recalls that, cases of severe gastroenteritis have been reported in communities around Lagos Island, Eti-Osa, Ikorodu and Kosofe Local Government area of the state, resulting in about 60 hospital admissions and sadly five persons have been reported dead mainly from patients presenting late with extreme dehydration.
The Lagos EHOAN used the medium calling on all Heads of Department of Environmental Health Services across the twenty (20) LCDA’s to immediately start sensitization of how to curb the spread and inform the public of how to control and prevent the occurrence of this cholera outbreak.
Dr. Akinyele however urged residents of the state to adopt the preventive measures and report any suspected cases promptly to safeguard the entire community.
