WHO Supports Lagos Gov’t To Fight Cholera In Kirikiri Prison

The Lagos State Government said it is receiving support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) as it battles an outbreak of cholera at the Kirikiri Medium Security Prison.

The State’s Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, in a statement on Sunday, quoted the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, as saying an outbreak of 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis caused by Cholera occurred at the prison.

He added 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 Organization (WHO) 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,” Ogunbanwo said.

The Lagos State Government has also reported a notable decrease in daily cholera cases compared to the spike that was reported two weeks ago.

However, it has recognised signs of persistent low-level community transmission, as a few cases are still being reported in hospitals across the state.

While providing further updates on the cholera outbreak following the “One Health” Inter-governmental agency strategic meeting held over the weekend, Abayomi 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 noted that the reduction in new daily cases and the absence of new deaths, indicated interventions are bearing dividends, however, more importantly, residents are adhering to public health information and advice on safety measures and the need for early presentation to health facilities when symptoms develop.

Addressing the source of the original outbreak two weeks ago, he disclosed that it has been traced to unregulated street beverages and contaminated water supply.

He stated that numerous samples collected from commonly sold street drinks by covert environmental officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and the Ministry of Health in the impacted regions indicated the existence of vibrio cholera bacteria, which is responsible for causing cholera.

“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,” he said.

He noted that the state government through its interagency “One Health” approach is enforcing environmental health countermeasures in collaboration with Lagos Water Corporation and sanitation agencies (LAWMA and LASWAMO) to ensure; widespread sanitation activities, inspection and disinfection of boreholes, supplying of potable water to affected local governments, and enforcement and stricter regulations on local beverage manufacturers.

“Henceforth and as approved by Mr Governor, a higher sanitary and regulatory standard of eateries, food handlers, beverage manufacturers and groundwater will be implemented and enforced to curb the burden of food and water-borne diseases in Lagos,” he added.

The commissioner stressed the need for continued vigilance and adherence to public health precautionary measures.

In addition to government interventions, he implored the public to also take personal responsibility for consuming safe water, food, and beverages.

He noted that treatment of suspected cholera remains free of charge in all government hospitals.