Sodiq Ojuroungbe
The Lagos State Government has confirmed an outbreak of cholera at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, while giving an update on Sunday, disclosed that 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis were reported but assured that urgent medical and environmental intervention measures had been implemented successfully.
In a statement known in a statement signed by the State Ministry of Health’s Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the commissioner disclosed an update on the outbreak that came on the heels of the “One Health” Inter-governmental agency strategic meeting held over the weekend.
He revealed that although no new cholera-related deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, the government was intensifying countermeasures to eliminate transmission.
Abayomi further confirmed the evidence of ongoing low-grade community transmission, despite the reduction in new daily cases and deaths.
The commissioner said that interventions are throwing up positive results as residents are adhering to public health information and advice on safety measures and the need for early presentation to health facilities when symptoms develop.
He stated, “However, he reported that a small outbreak of 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis occurred at Kirikiri Medium security prison confirmed to be caused by Cholera, adding that urgent medical and environmental intervention measures have been implemented with success.
“We were able to supply Kirikiri medium prison with intravenous fluids, infection prevention and other health consumables. Additionally, the World Health Organisation has donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals which have been delivered to the prison to support prison health facilities with prevention strategies for about 3,200 inmates if required. Immediate water and sanitation issues have been corrected and there are ongoing inspections of other correctional facilities in the state.”
While addressing the source of the original outbreak two weeks ago, he disclosed it has been traced to unregulated street beverages and contaminated water supply, adding that samples taken from popular street beverages purchased by undercover environmental officers from the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ministry of Health in the affected areas and they confirmed the presence of vibrio cholera bacteria – the primary cause of cholera.
Abayomi stated, “All of the containers had no NAFDAC accreditation numbers, indicating they are small cottage backyard informal production units. Identifying the precise location of manufacture has proven difficult and the directorate of environmental health is planning to seal any such unregulated manufacture and make arrests of anybody involved with the manufacture or distribution of beverages without NAFDAC numbers.”
The commissioner said state government, in collaboration with the Lagos Water Corporation and sanitation agencies, is enforcing environmental health countermeasures to ensure widespread sanitation activities, inspection and disinfection of boreholes, among others.
He urged Lagos residents to also ensure the water, food, and beverages they consume are safe and to embrace good personal hygiene practices.
Abayomi stressed the need to start on oral rehydration therapy immediately and to present immediately to hospitals if symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting develop.
The commissioner informed that treatment of suspected Cholera cases remains free of charge in all government hospitals.
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