The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, announced on Sunday that 25 cases of cholera were reported at Kirikiri Medium Security Prison.
This news comes despite the Nigerian Correctional Service’s recent statement that all custodial centres in the country were free of cholera.
Abubakar Umar, the spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service, had earlier said that routine cleaning measures kept cholera out of the prisons.
However, Prof. Abayomi confirmed the outbreak, adding that urgent medical and environmental measures were taken to manage the situation.
Meanwhile, in Katsina State, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 118 suspected cholera cases.
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Data from the NCDC shows that as of June 24, 2024, there were 1,528 suspected cholera cases, 65 confirmed cases, and 53 deaths across 31 states. The most affected states include Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, and Lagos.
President Bola Tinubu has set up a committee to control the cholera epidemic, with the committee being led by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.
Prof. Abayomi reported that no new deaths were recorded in the last 72 hours in Lagos, and measures are being taken to reduce the spread of the disease.
At Kirikiri prison, the government provided medical supplies, including fluids and infection prevention tools.
The World Health Organisation also donated 10,000 doses of medicine to help treat the 3,200 inmates if needed. The cause of the outbreak was linked to contaminated street beverages and water.
In Katsina, Dr. Kabir Suleiman, Director of Epidemiology at the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said that the 118 suspected cases were tested and found to be negative. He assured that the state is ready to handle any future cholera cases.
Other states like Kaduna and Kano reported no new cholera cases. However, health officials urged residents to maintain good hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease.
Dr. Jide Idris, Director-General of the NCDC, advised Nigerians to adopt safe sanitation practices and called on state governments to enforce stricter waste management rules.
He emphasized the importance of proper waste disposal and the elimination of open defecation to protect water sources.
Beyond Boders also gathered that in Ogun State, the Waste Management Authority urged residents to put their waste in containers to help prevent the spread of diseases like cholera. This practice will make it easier to collect and dispose of refuse, keeping the environment clean and safe.
Prof. Akin Abayomi highlighted the ongoing efforts, stating, “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.”
