A non-governmental organisation, Solacebase Communication on Wednesday sensitised stakeholders, including environment and health officials in local government areas across Kwara State on the prevention, symptoms and treatments of cholera.
Founder of the organisation, Abdullateef Jos stressed the important role that primary healtcare centres will play in preventing cholera outbreak in the state.
Jos urged the people to take personal hygiene seriously and wash their hands with soap regularly under running water.
He also charged the state government to put in place measures to eradicate open defecation and ensure that people have access to clean water.
Jos similarly advised the stakeholders at the event to go back to their communities and sensitise residents about what they learnt from the event towards preventing cholera outbreak in the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminat El-Imam, who was represented by Dr Ajao Shuaib of the department of Public Health, commended the organisers of the programme, saying it came at the right time.
El-Imam stressed that since the causes of cholera always come from the community, until the community is educated, it cannot be prevented or eradicated.
She also urged the stakeholders to sensitise their community on proper hygiene such as regular hand wash and cleanliness of their environment to prevent cholera outbreak.
The Commissioner added that another preventive measures is boiling of borehole water before consumption from uncertain sources.
“No single case of cholera in Kwara. If you hear that your neighbour’s house is on fire, be ready to help them quench the fire so that it won’t affect your house. That is what we are doing in Kwara. No single case of cholera, but we have put in place all the measures to prevent it”, the Commissioner said.
The Deputy Director, Centre for Research and Development at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Prof. Olalubi Oluwasogo harped at the forum, on the need to strengthen the health system in terms of regular training of health workers.
Prof. Oluwasogo explained further that there is also the need to reach out to far communities and disseminate proper information with respect to controlling the cholera disease.
He emphasised on the need to create more awareness about the mode of transmission, symptoms, treatment and how cholera is prevented, especially in the rural area.
He urged the public to stay away from buying sachets or bottle water that the NAFDAC registration number ends with ‘L’, warning that ” this implies that NAFDAC is yet to inspect the facilities of such water factories.”
