The Lagos state government has confirmed a cholera outbreak at Kirikiri prison.
In response, the state government, with additional support from the World Health Organization (WHO), has launched urgent medical and environmental interventions to combat the infectious disease.
Providing updates, State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, reported the swift response from the government, stating, “We were able to supply Kirikiri Medium Prison with intravenous fluids, infection prevention supplies, and other health consumables.”
Abayomi highlighted the support from the WHO, which has donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals to aid approximately 3,200 inmates at the prison.
He stated that immediate water and sanitation issues have been addressed, and inspections of other correctional facilities in the state are ongoing.
Abayomi identified unregulated street drinks and tainted water sources as the primary sources of ithe outbreak discovered two weeks ago.
“The Directorate of Environmental Health plans to seal any unregulated manufacturing sites and arrest those involved in producing or distributing beverages without NAFDAC numbers,” Abayomi said.
The commissioner reported a notable decrease in daily cholera cases compared to the peak recorded two weeks ago, with no new cholera-related deaths in the past 72 hours.
He added that efforts are being intensified to eradicate transmission completely.
Abayomi stressed the importance of public health guidelines and urged residents to seek medical help promptly if symptoms appear.
“To curb the burden of food and water-borne diseases in Lagos, higher sanitary and regulatory standards for eateries, food handlers, beverage manufacturers, and groundwater will be implemented and enforced,” Abayomi added.
