Following the recent cholera outbreak in some parts of the country, Anambra’s first lady, Mrs Nonye Soludo, has urged households, schools and caretakers of public places to stay cautious and immediately apply preventive routines to check the escalation of the disease.
Mrs Soludo, who made this known in a statement released in Awka on Monday 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 measures to avoid the fast spread of the water-borne sickness.
She said that the measure should focus on protecting children and pregnant women. She appealed to households, schools and public environments to monitor the drinking water available to people and ensure that it is safe and healthy.
The Anambra 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 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.
She listed others to include cooking foods well, avoiding some street vendor food if possible, and washing fruits well with clean water.
Mrs Soludo also asked anyone who noticed any signs or symptoms of cholera – severe diarrhoea and dehydration – to visit the nearest hospital and avoid self-medication.
She 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, she stated.
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