Cholera: Ekiti Govt Establishes Rapid Response Team
The Ekiti State government has established a Rapid Response Team, RRT, to actively look out for cholera cases across the 16 LGAs.
The step was necessitated due to reported outbreak of cholera in Lagos state.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, urged residents to keep a clean environment, drink safe water, wash their hands regularly, among others.
“Hand Hygiene: Wash hands frequently with soap and water, before eating and after using the toilet. Safe Water: Ensure access to safe drinking water sources. Boil or treat water from questionable sources.
“Food Safety: Practice safe food handling, cooking and storage to prevent cholera. Hygienic Sanitation: Use proper toilet facilities and maintain clean sanitation practices.
“Vaccination: Stay up-to-date with vaccinations against diarrheal diseases particularly for children. Hydration: Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, especially during episodes of cholera. Environmental Hygiene: Keep surroundings clean and free from faecal contamination.
“The State has an operational readiness strategy (based on previous epidemiologic data, risk assessment and identified hotspots) to prevent the outbreak of cholera in Ekiti State through the Incident Management System (IMS) with functional areas/pillars.
“The State has an already established Rapid Response Team (RRT) at both State and Local Government Areas (LGAs) to actively search for cholera cases. As a result of this, there is a heightened surveillance for Cholera and other priority diseases across the 16 LGAs in the State.
“To curtail community spread of secondary infections, thorough contact tracing, optimal communication strategy for community engagement and mass sensitization and to also ensure adherence to standard infection, prevention and control measures at both community and health facility levels, the State is utilizing a multisectoral approach for line response.
“Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, Local Government Service Commission Environmental Health Department, State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Hospitals Management Board, Tertiary Health Institutions, Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation, State Emergency Management Agency, Red Cross, Development Partners to work interconnectedly.
“Remember, practicing good hygiene habits and promoting community-wide preventive measures are essential in combating cholera and promoting public health.
“Report to the nearest Health Facility if you suspect any case of Cholera in your neighborhood, you can also call any of the following emergency numbers: 07049204288, 07049204236, 07049204334.”
