The Oyo and Ogun state governments on Saturday called for more vigilance and the adoption of precautionary measures to prevent a potential cholera outbreak in the two neighboring states.

In Oyo, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, made the call during her visit to a private hospital in Ibadan where two persons with suspected cholera cases were receiving treatment.

She pointed out that cholera is a bacterial infection spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated by the faeces of an infected person.

Ajetunmobi remarked that cholera is highly infectious and can cause severe diarrhoea with severe dehydration, adding that it may be associated with nausea, profuse vomiting and fever.

“The two suspected cases in Ibadan, which have been tracked down to a private facility, are male workers at a construction site at Lekki Peninsula in Lagos State.”

She however assured that there was no cause for alarm as the Ministry and other partners were on top of the situation.

Ajetunmobi disclosed that the state government’s response efforts, through the Ministry, were aimed at ensuring the state does not record casualties from the cholera outbreak in Lagos State.

“The response efforts include: promotional jingles in English and Yoruba, running in different media houses; an immediate inauguration of the Cholera Technical Working Group; putting active isolation management centres in place; and sensitisation of the gatekeepers and other well-established community structures,” she said.

The Commissioner therefore appealed to all to be safety-conscious and always drink water only from clean sources, and practise good personal hand hygiene by frequently washing hands with soap and water.

She warned that anyone with the listed symptoms should not indulge in self-medication but present themselves at the nearest healthcare facility immediately.

Similarly, the Ogun Government on Saturday in Abeokuta announced precautionary measures to prevent a possible outbreak of cholera in the state, following events in several states of the country.

Special Adviser to Gov. Dapo Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Mr Kayode Akinmade, in a statement said the governor was seriously concerned about the development.

“We have to take action in view of the need to protect the people in the state, considering the proximity to Lagos and the degree of interactions between the two states,” he said.

Akinmade said precautionary measures have been put in place especially as the Sallah holiday approaches.

He reeled out the measures as including the directive about toilets, stipulating that all houses must have toilets.

“Any house without a toilet should identify a room to be converted to a toilet. Residents are given three to six months of grace for compliance.

“All petrol stations must have functional public toilets with running water as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

“All garages, parks, markets and mechanic villages must have functional toilets with running water.

“All schools (public and private) should have public toilets with running water,” he said.

Akinade added that, in addition to these measures, residents are advised to drink only safe water which is either boiled or chlorinated.

He also advised proper hand-washing with soap after each toilet visit and before handling food, just as all fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly with safe water.

The governor’s aide further that government has advised that all foods should be cooked properly.

“Also, people should endeavour to buy and eat only food that is hot and cooked with water from reliable sources.”

Akinmade assured that the Ministry of Environment would see to the strict compliance of all the measures as violators would be made to face the wrath of law accordingly. (Pieced together from different NAN reports)

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