* Advises on hand hygiene, safe water, food safety, food safety, vaccination
By John Odunayo
Ekiti State Government has alerted residents to be on high suspicion for cholera in their communities.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, said the outbreak of cholera in Lagos State within the geopolitical zone is a cause for concern.
Filani, in a “Public Health Advisory on Cholera” on Saturday, called on the general populace in Ekiti to be on high alert mode and take precautionary measures as highlighted on the advisory.
Filani described cholera as “a food and water-borne disease, caused by the ingestion of the microorganism Vibrio cholerae in contaminated water and food. Cholera is characterized in its most severe form by a sudden onset of acute watery diarrhoea that can lead to death by severe dehydration”.
Symptoms of cholera, he said, included acute, profuse, painless watery diarrhea (rice water stools) of sudden onset, with or without vomiting. It may be associated with nausea, profuse vomiting and fever.
The commissioner said that “cholera is easily treatable if detected early. Most infected persons can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS) to replace lost fluids and electrolytes, and appropriate antibiotics. Cholera can be deadly when infected people do not access care immediately.
He said that “cholera can be prevented through ensuring access to safe, potable drinking water; proper sanitation and waste disposal; and appropriate hygiene including handwashing. Raw fruits and vegetables, food from street vendors, and raw or undercooked seafood should be avoided”.
Filani advised the public to “wash hands frequently with soap and water, before eating and after using the toilet, ensure access to safe drinking water sources. Boil or treat water from questionable
sources and as well practice safe food handling, cooking and storage to prevent cholera”.
He also advised residents to “use proper toilet facilities and maintain clean sanitation practices, stay up-to-date with vaccinations against diarrheal diseases particularly for children, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, especially during episodes of cholera and as well keep surroundings clean and free from faecal contamination”.
The commissioner, however, said that the state had an operational readiness strategy (based on previous epidemiologic data, risk assessment and identified hotspots) to prevent the outbreak of cholera in Ekiti State through the Incident Management System (IMS) with functional areas/pillars.
Oyebanji said that the state had an already established Rapid Response Team (RRT) at both State and Local Government Areas (LGAs) to actively search for cholera cases, adding, “As a result of this, there is a heightened surveillance for Cholera and other priority diseases across the 16 LGAs in the State.
“To curtail community spread of secondary infections, thorough contact tracing, optimal communication strategy for community engagement and mass sensitization and to also ensure adherence to standard infection, prevention and control measures at both community and health facility levels, the state is utilizing a multisectoral approach for line response.
“Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, Local Government Service Commission Environmental Health Department, State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Hospitals Management Board, Tertiary Health Institutions, Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation, State Emergency Management Agency, Red Cross, Development Partners to work interconnectedly.
“Remember, practicing good hygiene habits and promoting community-wide preventive measures are essential in combating cholera and promoting public health,” the commissioner said.
