Cholera: Ogun govt warns residents against unhygienic practices
Following the outbreak of cholera in some parts of the country, the government of Ogun has called on residents to be wary of unhygienic practices capable of leading to infections and loss of lives.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, made this call on Tuesday when she paid an enlightenment visit to Sabo Community in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the state, where the disease was recently reported.
She warned residents to desist from poor hygiene which might introduce bacteria to their foods, unclean sources of water, open defecation, and indiscriminate waste disposal.
She affirmed that the state government was working hard to ensure that no life was lost again to cholera, which she described as a treatable disease.
Coker said that the state government had stationed an ambulance at the Sabo Primary Health Centre (PHC), while also supplying all necessary items for immediate treatment of the disease.
She added that treatment could be accessed at the health facility and the State Hospital Ijaiye, free of charge.
“Our hope is that no one else dies from this preventable disease in our state. Once we have one confirmed case of cholera, it means we are already dealing with an outbreak. Every human life is important to us,” she added.
The commissioner called on community leaders to help discourage residents from patronizing quacks for the treatment of cholera.
She added that whoever developed symptoms relating to cholera, such as frequent vomiting and stooling, should be taken to the Primary Health Centres within the area for treatment.
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Coker, who went around the streets of Sabo, called on community leaders across the state to continually emphasize the need for a clean environment and food hygiene to their subjects.
She assured that epidemiologists in the state were on top of the matter, as the state government was playing its part by sensitizing the public about the disease through various media.
Speaking on behalf of the people of Sabo Community, the Seriki Hausawa of Egbaland, Ibrahim Hassan, appreciated the state government for its swift response, expressing optimism for his people’s behavioral change towards a clean environment.
“We appreciate that the government recognized us by sending a whole commissioner to enlighten us about this disease.
“We heard that cholera is all over the nation. For us, we will be more careful and practice all that we have been told,” he said.
