The Oyo State Government has issued a call for more vigilance and the adoption of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of a potential cholera outbreak in the state.
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A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, says the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, gave the charge during her visit to a private hospital in Ibadan, the state capital, where two suspected cholera cases were receiving treatment.
Dr Ajetunmobi stated that cholera is a bacterial infection spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated by the faeces (poop) of an infected person.
She explained that cholera is highly infectious and can cause severe acute watery diarrhea with severe dehydration, noting that it may be associated with nausea, profuse vomiting, and fever.
The Commissioner disclosed that the two suspected cases in Ibadan, which had been tracked down to a private facility in the state, are male workers at a construction site in Lekki Peninsula, Lagos State, affirming that there is no cause for alarm as the Ministry and other partners are on top of the situation.
She reiterated the response efforts of the state government, through the Ministry, at ensuring that the state does not record casualties from the cholera outbreak from Lagos state.
Ajetunmobi enumerated the response efforts to include: the deployment of LGA DSNO, promotional jingles in English and Yoruba running in different media houses, immediate inauguration of the Cholera technical working group, and putting IDC Olodo into active mode for isolation and management.
Others are: reaching out to all surveillance rangers at the LGA level to intensify surveillance activities, re-posting of cholera case definition on the platform of community informants for updates, awareness and sensitisation of gatekeepers, and other well-established community structures.
The Commissioner, therefore, appealed to all to be safety conscious and always drink water only from clean sources, and practice good personal hand hygiene by frequently washing hands with soap and water.
She maintained that anyone with the symptoms mentioned should not partake in self-medication but present themselves at the nearest healthcare facility immediately.
