BY SUNNY A. DAVID
As the cholera outbreak continues to affect various parts of the country, the wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, has called on households, schools, and public places to exercise caution and implement preventive measures to contain the spread of the disease.
With the recent reported cases, Mrs. Soludo’s warning emphasizes the need for vigilance and proactive steps to prevent further escalation of the cholera outbreak.
The Anambra Governor’s wife who made this known in a statement she released in Awka, noted that with Anambra State among the thirty-one States reported to be dealing with the current outbreak, it is essential to begin to apply stringent preventive measure to avoid the fast spread of the water-borne sickness.
Mrs Soludo said that the measure attention should be on protecting children and pregnant women, and appealed to households, schools and public environments to monitor the drinking water available to people and ensure that it is safe and healthy.
The Governor’s wife who is also the founder of the non-governmental crusade, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative, highlighted the basic cholera preventive steps to include washing of hands properly with soap and water frequently, drinking only safe water, bottled water or well boiled water and also brushing with clean and safe water.
Mrs Soludo listed others to include cooking foods well, avoiding some street vendor food if possible, and washing fruits well with clean water.
She also asked anyone who notices any signs or symptoms of cholera severe diarrhoea and dehydration to visit the nearest hospital and avoid self medication.
The Governor’s wife also urged schools and markets that benefitted from her NGO’s free hand-washing buckets to make the best use of them at this time, assuring that the State government is working round the clock to ensure that the disease is maximally contained in the Anambra State.
Nigeria is experiencing a significant cholera outbreak, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reporting over 1,528 suspected cases in 31 States.
The primary cause has been linked to the consumption of contaminated water and inadequate sanitation, exacerbated by the onset of the rainy season, which often leads to increased cholera cases due to flooding and compromised water sources.
No State has yet received vaccine for the disease, with authorities saying that because the immunity period for cholera vaccine is short, the primary focus had been on prevention and quick treatment for those who contracted the disease.
