Federal and state officials in communities displaced by the recent flooding across many states are scrambling to provide safe drinking water to residents of the affected areas.
In a number of states, corpses have been washed up by the flood water, raising fears of water contamination and outbreak of waterborne diseases.
The Delta State government has taken proactive steps in mitigating the sufferings of the people directly affected by the ravaging flood, deploying various solution-based intervention strategies like sensitising the people to move to higher grounds.
Secretary to the state government, (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah, who is also the 2022 Flood Disaster Management Committee chairman, said the committee is collaborating with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other state intervention agencies for effective and efficient management of the disaster as it relates to the welfare of victims of the disaster.
According to him, the committee has set up seven internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and four additional camps by the interventionist agency, Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC), which has brought the total number of camps in the state to 11 and counting.
Declare National Emergency On Flooding
Currently, the state Ministry of Environment and DESOPADEC have begun dredging water channels of flood- affected areas to ensure the free flow of water, while swamp buggies are also being used to ensure blocked canals are opened up to reduce the incidents of flooding.
“Constant provision of food and other relief materials are ensured for the immediate comfort of victims, provision of clean water for drinking and other domestic uses, especially in the area of quality health-related services with the provision of health facilities in times of emergency.
Meanwhile, snakes, crocodiles and other dangerous reptiles have invaded communities in parts of Delta State as the ravaging floods continued to devastate the areas.
This is even as the state government is working in collaboration with the traditional rulers, political aides, and presidents-general of the affected communities to identify the vulnerable persons and to ensure a hitch-free health management process.
Unfortunately, the floods have trapped the trucks laden with relief materials, and drugs meant for victims in ravaged communities.
Giving an update of the flood situation, the director general of Delta State Bureau of Orientation, Mr. Eugene Uzum confirmed that dangerous sea animals were released as a result of the overflow of the river and the killing of a big python at Patani community.
“The flood has completely overwhelmed the road. Trucks conveying relief materials to some axes have been trapped. We now make use of speed boats to access the IDP camps to deliver materials to the victims,” he said.
On its part, the Kebbi State government is making the provision of potable water to flood-ravaged communities a priority to prevent the outbreak of diseases.
The government said the state had not recorded any diseases related to drinking contaminated water.
This was confirmed to LEADERSHIP Sunday in Birnin-Kebbi yesterday by the state commissioner of health, Alhaji Jaafar Zuru.
He said this followed measures taken by the state government in providing potable water in all the 21 local government areas of the state.
According to him, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu had expended a lot of resources in supplying adequate water in all parts of the state.
Rivers Sets Up Mobile Clinics For IDPs
Although there are no reports of the outbreak of diseases in the IDP camps in Rivers State, the Flood Management Taskforce set up by Governor Nyesom Wike has a medical unit attached to it.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the medical team attends to sick flood victims whenever the Taskforce visits the IDP camps, which are in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West and Abua/Odual local government areas of the state.
Speaking during a visit to an IDP camp located at Erema Primary School in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of the state, secretary of the taskforce, Mrs. Inime Aguma, said mobile clinics had been set up to attend to the flood victims, especially women and children.
Aguma further stated that the Flood Management Committee had a special concern for the women and children in the IDP camps.
Speaking during the visit, the Taskforce’s chairman, Dr. George Nweke, urged flood victims to always exhibit sanitary habits in their various IDP camps.
Nweke stated that those with health challenges should endeavour to report to the medical personnel stationed at the camps for adequate medical attention.
Cholera Outbreak Reported In Gombe
Like many other parts of the country, Gombe State has recorded incidences of floods in this year’s rainy season leading to flooding, deaths and diseases.
According to the executive secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Haruna Abdullahi, the floods have killed 10 people across the state and destroyed many houses.
Aside from those who were killed by the floods, many also died of cholera as a result of drinking polluted water,
Authorities in the health sector confirmed that 236 other persons were infected with cholera as the epidemic rocked Gombe State.
The executive secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Abdulrahman Shuaibu, who disclosed this, said the state recorded a total of 2, 373 cases of the diseases in three outbreaks within the year.
“This year, from 30th of June, 2022, we had sporadic cases of cholera in Balanga local government area and because of the preparedness and prompt response, it has been largely subdued without escalation.
“We witnessed increased downpour of rainfall resulting in flooding in many parts of the state and this resulted in cases of cholera outbreaks in eight wards across Balanga, Yamaltu-Deba, Nafada, Funakaye and Gombe local government areas. The State Ministry of Health has promptly initiated public health actions for prevention and control of cholera,” he said.
Shuaibu said the ministry of health had activated an incident management system for control of cholera at the Primary Health Emergency Centres in the state, established 13 cholera treatment units across the five affected local governments for management of cases free of charge.
He added that house-to-house sensitisation and distribution of water treatment tablets in all affected communities would be conducted, adding that a decontamination of affected wells and boreholes in communities would be carried out.
On prevention for diseases, Dr Abdulrahman advised that use of clean water, consumption of hygienically prepared meals, particularly avoiding uncooked food, and personal and environmental hygiene are proven preventive measures against the disease.
While noting that cholera is characterized by severe diarrhoea and vomiting, he said it can be rapidly fatal if prompt actions are not taken towards managing the cases.
No Case Of Disease Outbreak In A’Ibom – Commissioner
In Akwa Ibom State, the commissioner for Health, Prof. Vincent Umoh, said despite the devastating flooding of parts of the state, no case of water-borne disease has so far been recorded.
He told our Correspondent yesterday that the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, had been doing his utmost to contain the raging floods, especially in the capital, Uyo.
In the same vein, although Akwa Ibom has been listed by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) as one of the flood-prone states in Nigeria, Governor Emmanuel’s, according to the commissioner for information and strategy, Comrade Iniobong Ememobong, has embarked on rural floods intervention programmes to safeguard the rural communities and farmlands from being submerged.
Speaking to our Correspondent, Ememobong explained steps taken by the administration to save the rural dwellers from the menace.
He said: “The governor has called for a review of the flood map capacity of the state and directed that all relevant agencies in emergency management should be on red alert.
“The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has been mandated to start sensitisation in rural areas as a step to managing a possible occurrence of the flood occurrence.”
Mariga Town In Niger Susceptible To Disease
In Niger state, there is no outbreak of diseased yet as a result of floods that have ravaged over 100 communities.
But the most susceptible to an outbreak of diseases is Mariga town where over 200 corpses were washed up by flood about two months ago.
There is however speculation that as the rains reduce, the effect will become more obvious on the health of the people.
A health official, Mohammed Aliyu, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the situation in Mariga is likely to have adverse effects on the health of the people.
Also vulnerable are communities around Muregi in Mokwa local government area of the state where entire communities were taken over by flood.
The Niger State commissioner of health, Dr. Mohammed Makusidi, said aside from endemic malaria, “We have not recorded any disease outbreak of public importance.”
He however said Niger State has a budget line for medical emergencies and the Ministry of Health had a strategic plan for medical emergencies, including disease outbreaks.
No Report Of Water-borne Diseases In Kwara
The Kwara State government has said that water supply to the state remains safe in spite of the recent floods and fears of the outbreak of communicable disease.
There was no outbreak of disease in any part of the state as result of the recent flood disaster in Patigi local government and Ilorin, the state capital.
The state commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Rasaq disclosed this during an interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday in Ilorin.
He said: “There have been no reported cases of outbreak of water borne diseases in any part of the state since the flooding incident.
“We did not also receive any report of damage to any of the dams supplying water to our people across the state.”
Osun State is not among the states where the recent devastating flooding wreaked havoc in the country.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Isamotu, said though Osun had done much to prevent flood occurrence, the state experienced moderate rainfall this year.
He said though no neighbouring states were equally affected, government had taken precautions through the treatment of potable water in the state.
Hunger, Not Disease, Is Major Concern In Jigawa IDP Camps
Though over 135 people died as a result of flooding and rainstorms and over 43 IDP Camps were opened in Jigawa state, there is no report of any disease outbreak so far.
Most of the displaced people are not receiving enough relief materials, particularly foods items, with the general condition of the camps poor.
However, the state government has made adequate provision of water while health workers are made available and accessible to the IDPs in their nearest facilities and emergency units in some camps.
While contacted on the situation, the executive secretary, State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Kabiru Ibrahim, said there is no report of disease outbreak in the camps or anywhere in the state as effective measures had been taken to prevent such from happening since the beginning of the flood disaster.
