To flag off National Environmental Sanitation Response Intervention to Cholera

By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA–MINISTER of Environment,Mahammad Mahmood Abubabar,has attributed the cholera outbreak in the country to poor environmental sanitation and hygiene practices in the country.

Abubakar,who noted that his ministry,over the years,has collaborated with stakeholders cutting across government at all levels, organized private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s), Community Based Organisations (CBO’s), academia, development partners, among others to deliver adequate sanitation and hygiene services to the citizenry, regretted that “despite all these efforts, the country continues to suffer from cholera epidermic and other sanitation enabled diseases every year.”

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“This is largely due to our collective behaviours and attitude towards environmental sanitation and hygiene practices which are very poor,”he said at a press conference,Monday,in Abuja, following the outbreak of Cholera in the country.

The measures activated by the government so far to tackle the disease,he said, “include development of policies, regulatory and legislative frame work, implementation of relevant programmes and projects, establishment of relevant regulatory and enforcement agencies.  

Noting also that,”This year’s outbreak is very serious and has continued to ravage many states with more fatalities being reported on a daily basis,”Abubakar said in responding to the recent cholera outbreak,” the Federal Ministry of Environment, has activated the Sanitation Desks in the 36 state ministries of environment and FCT,urging them to carry out environmental sanitation activities in their various states aimed at containing the outbreak.”

According to him,”The Ministry has also requested the environmental health officers in the states and local governments across the country to intensity their efforts in carrying out sanitary inspection of premises and abatement of nuisances that could result to diseases outbreak such as cholera, Lassa fever” among others.

He informed that “in days to come, the Federal Ministry of Environment will be flagging off National Environmental Sanitation Response Intervention to Cholera Outbreak in Kubwa, Abuja which is currently the epi-centre in the FCT.”

“Afterwards, the ministry in collaboration with relevant stakeholders including Environmental Health Officer’s (EHO’s) in the states and local government areas will embark on nationwide intervention response activities covering sanitary inspection of premises/environmental health uurveillance of hotspot communities;disinfection of contaminated water sources/sites;strengthening capacity of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) in the state ministries of environment and the affected local government areas”and sanitary inspection of food business premises of affected communities.

Other measures,he mentioned, would be

advocacy, sensitization and community town hall meetings on control of open defecation practices and its health impact;sanitary inspection of Schools (Primary & Secondary) in affected communities;training of community volunteers on safe water handling, environmental sanitation and hygiene practices;working with the state and local governments to ensure enforcement of relevant environmental sanitation laws, standards and regulations and guidelines in all the communities.

The minister advised citizens to

imbibe good sanitation and hygiene practices and take preventive and control measures such as Keeping the environment clean;ensuring the use of clean and safe water;washing hands regularly with soap and running water especially at critical moments such as after using the toilet, after coughing or sneezing; after cleaning a child who has gone to the toilet; after touching books and money; before preparing food; before (and after eating); and after playing with animals.

He also advised citizens to avoid open defecation;cooking food well;keeping it covered and eating it hot as well as disposing wastes regularly and at designated collection centres.

“Let me use this forum to charge all state governments, commissioners of environment, local government chairmen/councillors and environmental health officers across the country to step up their sanitation and hygiene programmes and activities to control and prevent further outbreak and spread of cholera in our country,”he said 

He assured the general public that the “Federal Ministry of Environment remains committed to ensuring a clean and healthy environment for all Nigerians.”

” This is a collective responsibility which requires concerted efforts of all and sundry. This is the only way we can prevent and curtail incidences of cholera outbreak and other communicable diseases.  I therefore call on all members of the public to keep their environment clean,”he added.

 Recall that Nigeria is currently experiencing cholera outbreak in several parts of the country with reported cases of fatalities.

 Latest situation report from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,NCDC, released on 10th August,2021, indicated a total number of 33,661 suspected cases including 938 deaths in 22 states and FCT.