Fight cholera like COVID-19, Lawmaker urges Nigerians

The lawmaker representing the Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, James Faleke has called on Nigerians to treat the cholera outbreak in some parts of the country with the level of seriousness they handled the Coronavirus pandemic.

Faleke made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos State on Monday.

NAN reports that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control recently reported that 53 deaths due to cholera had been recorded in the country.

Also, the NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris said the Federal Government had activated the National Emergency Operation Centre for cholera.

Idris said, “As of June 24, 2024, 1,528 suspected cases and 53 deaths were recorded across 31 states and 107 LGAs with a case fatality rate of 3.5 per cent since the beginning of the year.”

Reacting, Faleke said Nigerians should do more to curb the cholera outbreak.

He said, ”Every Nigerian needs to be careful, our attitude to cleanliness matters. The way we took COVID-19 seriously is the way we should take this cholera outbreak.

“Cholera has killed many people. We expected that, in this modern age, we should not be having an outbreak of cholera in Nigeria.

“However, it has come; so, we have to deal with it.  People should be more careful with what they eat and drink.”

“There are many fake products out there. Stop taking fake products. You don’t have to drink anything, take clean water,” he advised.

The Lagos State Government, on Sunday, through the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Sunkanmi Oyegbola, urged public servants to maintain good hygiene to avoid contracting cholera or other water and airborne diseases.

NAN