By Laolu Elijah, Ibadan

Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated Cholera Technical Working Group (CTWG) as part of proactive measures against potential cholera outbreaks in the state.

The state government, through the Ministry of Health, set up the group with a mandate to coordinate a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach to preventing, detecting, and responding to any case of the epidemic within the state.

While inaugurating the committee at the Oyo State Public Health Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), Ibadan, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, stated that highly contagious food and waterborne diseases remain a significant public health threat in Nigeria.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Public Health in the Ministry, Dr. Akintunde Babatunde, said although Oyo State recently had seven suspected cases, no case of cholera has been confirmed.

She said the threat of cholera outbreaks in some neighbouring states has mandated Oyo State government to put proactive measures in place.

The health commissioner reiterated that the CTWG will develop and implement a comprehensive cholera preparedness and response plan, strengthen surveillance and early warning, enhance public awareness and community engagement, coordinate provision of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services, and facilitate research and the use of evidence-based practices in cholera control.

In their various remarks at the inauguration, the CTWG committee, with representatives from Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Information, Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, RUWASSA, non-governmental organisations, and other stakeholders, advocated against various causes of cholera, including contaminated water and poor sanitation. 

The state government therefore charged the general public to improve their water sanitation and hygiene practices and adhere to the standard of hygiene outlined by health officials across the state.

Adding that cholera must not be allowed to surface in Oyo State, they emphasised that all hands must be on deck to combat the bacteria-causing disease.