…As WHO donates 10,000 doses amid hygiene upgrades
By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos State Government has confirmed an outbreak of cholera at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, with 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis reported.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the cases were confirmed to be caused by cholera.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed that urgent medical and environmental intervention measures have been implemented successfully.
While no new deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, the government is intensifying efforts to eliminate transmission, despite evidence of ongoing low-grade community transmission.
The update follows a strategic meeting of the “One Health” inter-governmental agency over the weekend.
According to the Commissioner, “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.”
The Commissioner identified the source of the cholera outbreak two weeks ago as unregulated street beverages and contaminated water supply.
According to Abayomi, samples collected by undercover environmental officers from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Health in the affected areas tested positive for vibrio cholera bacteria, the causative agent of cholera.
The contaminated street beverages, which were purchased from popular vendors, were found to be the root cause of the outbreak.
“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,” Abayomi said.
He emphasised that in partnership with the Lagos Water Corporation and sanitation agencies (LAWMA and LASWAMO), the state government is actively implementing environmental health measures. These include widespread sanitation efforts, inspection, and disinfection of boreholes.
He urged the public to prioritise safe consumption of water, food, and beverages, maintain good personal hygiene, promptly begin oral rehydration therapy, and seek immediate medical attention if experiencing symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting.