The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has launched a comprehensive response to the recent cholera outbreak, deploying teams from the National Water Quality Reference Laboratories in Lagos, Enugu, and Sokoto to collect water samples and identify the presence of Vibrio cholerae in affected areas.
In a statement, Minister Shinkafi detailed the ministry’s efforts, highlighting the collaboration with State Technical Working Groups and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies. This coordinated approach, led by the WASH in Emergency Technical Working Group, aims to tackle the outbreak thoroughly.
Prior to the outbreak, the National WASH in Emergency Technical Working Group had already conducted extensive training for state working groups on preparedness, prevention, response strategies, hygiene promotion, and water safety planning. These measures have been crucial in intensifying community sensitisation efforts to curb the spread of cholera, particularly through campaigns against open defecation, a known transmission route for the disease.
Minister Shinkafi urged Nigerians to take preventive measures, such as boiling or treating drinking water, to protect themselves and their families.
In Cross River State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, announced the activation of an emergency response team to address any cholera threat. Despite no recent cholera cases, the state remains vigilant after experiencing an outbreak earlier in the year, resulting in one fatality.
Similarly, the Osun State Government has ramped up its sensitisation efforts to prevent a potential outbreak during the festive period. The state’s Commissioner for Health, Jola Akintola, reassured residents that no suspected cases have been reported, and outreach programmes are actively educating the public on preventive measures.
In addition to government efforts, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on state governments to address the root causes of cholera to prevent future outbreaks. CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, emphasised that cholera, a preventable disease, thrives in areas with inadequate sanitary facilities and unsafe water supplies. Effective management of public water and sanitation systems is crucial in controlling the disease.
As Nigeria grapples with the cholera outbreak, the combined efforts of federal and state authorities, along with public health organisations, underscore the critical importance of water quality and sanitation in safeguarding public health.
