The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health has provided essential medicines for the treatment of victims of cholera outbreak in Ogun State.
This was contained in a statement signed by Dr.Akin Oyemakinde, Chief Consultant Epidemiologist, Federal Ministry of Health.
According to the statement, the outbreak of the cholera disease was reported in four local Government areas of Ogun State: Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda on the 8th July 2013.
On receiving the report on the same day, the Federal Ministry of Health swiftly dispatched an eight-member team comprising of Doctors, Consultant Epidemiologist, Laboratory Scientist and Environmental Health Officers to contain the situation.
The team donated essential medicines for the treatment of the disease to the Ogun State Government which include Amoxycillin, Zinc sulphate, Paracetamol, Ciprofloxacin and Albendazole as well as supplementary interagency emergency health kits containing Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT), Ringers Lactate and cups.
The statement further said that the outbreak was due to Cholera Vibrio, a micro organism transmitted through contaminated food and water sources in conditions of poor personal hygiene and environmental sanitation. Symptoms of the disease include passage of frequent watery stool and vomiting. Affected persons are usually weak and dehydrated.
As at 31st July, 2013, there were a total of 144 cases with 5 deaths giving a case fatality rate of 3.55%.
Other significant findings include lack of latrine in 90% of households visited by the team resulting in open air defecation, poor refuse disposal system and unsanitary wells as water sources.
In view of the confirmed outbreak of cholera in Ogun State, the press statement is to place adjoining States on red alert, other States and the entire citizenry on the need for concerted efforts at preventing the spread of the disease.
To this end, the citizenry have been advised to always boil water before drinking, proper hand washing after a visit to the toilet and before food preparation and above all, adopt good food hygiene practices.
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Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria