Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, announced that 25 severe gastroenteritis cases confirmed to be cholera were reported at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
This information was disclosed in a press statement on Sunday, signed by the State Ministry of Health’s Director of Public Affairs, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo.
Prof. Abayomi stated that urgent medical and environmental intervention measures had been successfully implemented.
The update on the cholera outbreak followed the “One Health” Inter-governmental agency strategic meeting held over the weekend.
Although no new cholera-related deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, the government is intensifying countermeasures to eliminate transmission.
Prof. Abayomi confirmed ongoing low-grade community transmission, despite the reduction in new daily cases and deaths.
“Interventions are showing results as residents adhere to public health information and advice on safety measures and the need for early presentation to health facilities when symptoms develop,” Abayomi noted.
He mentioned that the small outbreak at Kirikiri Medium Security Prison involved 25 cases of severe gastroenteritis caused by cholera, with successful medical and environmental interventions implemented.
The commissioner said, “We were able to supply Kirikiri Medium Prison with intravenous fluids, infection prevention materials, and other health consumables.
Additionally, the World Health Organization has donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals to support prison health facilities for about 3,200 inmates if required.
Immediate water and sanitation issues have been corrected, and ongoing inspections of other correctional facilities in the state are underway.”
Addressing the source of the original outbreak two weeks ago, Abayomi revealed it was traced to unregulated street beverages and contaminated water supply.
Samples from popular street beverages purchased by undercover environmental officers from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Health in affected areas confirmed the presence of Vibrio cholera bacteria, the cause of cholera.
“All of the containers had no NAFDAC accreditation numbers, indicating they are small cottage backyard informal production units.
Identifying the precise location of manufacture has proven difficult, and the directorate of environmental health is planning to seal any such unregulated manufacture and make arrests of anybody involved with the manufacture or distribution of beverages without NAFDAC numbers,” Abayomi said.
He emphasized that the state government, in collaboration with the Lagos Water Corporation and sanitation agencies (LAWMA and LASWAMO), is enforcing environmental health countermeasures to ensure widespread sanitation activities, inspection, and disinfection of boreholes.
The Commissioner urged the public to take personal responsibility for consuming safe water, food, and beverages, maintaining good personal hygiene, starting oral rehydration therapy, and seeking immediate medical attention if symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting develop.
He noted that treatment for suspected cholera remains free of charge in all government hospitals.
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