Lagos – Consolation Ajayi, a mom of three and resident of Lagos state says she is keenly observing hygiene and taking steps to guard her household from cholera, which has been reported in all of the 20 localities of Nigeria’s second most populous state. “On this essential time, I’m additionally guiding my youngsters on tips on how to reside responsibly,” she says.
Well being authorities declared a cholera outbreak in Lagos on 15 June 2024 when 436 suspected have been reported. Six days later, there have been greater than 500 suspected and 43 confirmed circumstances, with a 5.4% case fatality price among the many suspected circumstances reported.
Cholera is an acute and virulent an infection. It may possibly unfold quickly and trigger excessive morbidity and mortality. It’s, nevertheless, simply treatable with immediate administration of oral rehydration resolution or intravenous fluids. Prevention principally consists of offering clear water and correct sanitation to populations who don’t but have entry to fundamental providers, in addition to vaccination with oral cholera vaccines. Well being schooling and good meals hygiene are additionally important.
Specializing in halting group transmission, Nigerian well being authorities, with assist from the World Well being Group (WHO) and associate organizations are working with group well being outreach groups to make sure prevention and management measures, starting from public well being schooling to epidemiological interventions, are carried out successfully.
Multisectoral partnerships are key to the outbreak response. “Collaboration with the Ministry of Atmosphere in addition to coordination with companions are serving to to bolster group sanitation efforts and outbreak management,” says the Lagos State Commissioner for Well being, Professor Akin Abayomi,
For the reason that begin of the outbreak WHO discipline volunteers and native authorities facilitators have been deployed to bolster the general outbreak response throughout hotspots. Ordinarily, their work is to make sure that native coordination is strengthened and suspected circumstances of vaccine-preventable ailments are reported in a well timed method.
“I’m glad that well being employees in my space are offering us with the preventive data equivalent to posters and textual content messages which are guiding us on tips on how to defend ourselves and family members,” says Ajayi, who lives in Eti Osa, some of the affected localities in Lagos state.
Dr Chinenye Okafor, WHO State Coordinator, who’s main the Group’s community-based assist, says that actions equivalent to orientation coaching, on-the-job mentoring, high-level advocacy and strengthening of surveillance, case administration, laboratory, danger communication and group engagement and operations logistics are being enhanced to finish the outbreak.
Greater than 350 discipline volunteers, together with WHO-supported native authorities facilitators, have been deployed and are finishing up public well being schooling and energetic case discovering in well being amenities and communities, in addition to on-the-job mentoring to major well being care employees. This operational strategy is geared in direction of lowering morbidity and mortality in the neighborhood.
“Lagos is essentially the most populous metropolis in Africa and the outbreak is a significant concern. For the reason that activation of the Emergency Operations Centre, WHO is coordinating companions to swiftly assist the state in saving the lives of weak individuals within the affected native authorities areas,” says Dr Okafor.
With funding from the Canadian Authorities (CANGiVE), WHO is supporting the group outreach efforts. The Group has additionally supplied 35 important emergency group and periphery cholera kits, which may deal with no less than 5250 individuals.
“Whereas the Authorities of Nigeria, together with companions, is working arduous to comprise the outbreak, it will be significant for all stakeholders to rally spherical the federal government to assist it to halt group transmission and save lives,” says Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Consultant in Nigeria. “Controlling a cholera outbreak requires a multifaceted strategy, utilizing surveillance, water, sanitation and hygiene measures, danger communication/social mobilization, well timed therapy and oral cholera vaccines.”
Cholera is each a well being drawback and a socioeconomic growth problem, requiring a sturdy multisectoral response. The long-term resolution for cholera management lies in financial growth and common entry to secure consuming water and fundamental sanitation.
“I used to be sceptical in regards to the acceptable preventive measures for cholera, however the well being care employees boosted my confidence with the appropriate data” says Basirat Tanimu, a group member in Eti Osa. “Now, I’m continuously advocating to my neighbours on the significance of retaining the setting clear, to maintain ourselves and kids secure.”