“In this critical time, I am also guiding my children on how
to live responsibly,” she says.
On June 15, 2024, health authorities in Lagos declared a
cholera outbreak after receiving reports of 436 suspected cases. Within six
days, the number of suspected cases surpassed 500, with 43 confirmed cases and
a concerning case fatality rate of 5.4% among the suspected cases.
Cholera is a severe and highly contagious infection. It has
the potential to spread rapidly and result in substantial morbidity and
mortality rates. Nevertheless, it is readily manageable with timely
administration of oral rehydration solutions or intravenous fluids. Preventive
measures primarily involve ensuring access to clean water and adequate
sanitation for populations currently lacking basic services, complemented by
vaccination programs utilizing oral cholera vaccines.
Health education and proper food hygiene are also of the
utmost importance.
To curb community transmission, Nigerian health authorities,
in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and partner
organizations, are actively engaging community health outreach teams. This
collaborative effort aims to effectively implement preventive and control
measures, encompassing public health education and epidemiological
interventions.
Multisectoral partnerships are key to the outbreak response.
“Collaboration with the Ministry of Environment as well as coordination with
partners are helping to bolster community sanitation efforts and outbreak
control,” says the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi.
Since the start of the outbreak WHO field volunteers and
local government facilitators have been deployed to bolster the overall
outbreak response across hotspots. Ordinarily, their work is to ensure that
local coordination is strengthened and suspected cases of vaccine-preventable
diseases are reported in a timely manner.
“I am glad that health workers in my area are providing us
with the preventive information such as posters and text messages that are
guiding us on how to protect ourselves and loved ones,” says Ajayi, who lives
in Eti Osa, one of the most affected localities in Lagos state.
Dr Chinenye Okafor, WHO State Coordinator, who is leading
the Organization’s community-based support, says that activities such as
orientation training, on-the-job mentoring, high-level advocacy and
strengthening of surveillance, case management, laboratory, risk communication
and community engagement and operations logistics are being enhanced to end the
outbreak.
More than 350 field volunteers, including WHO-supported
local government facilitators, have been deployed and are carrying out public
health education and active case finding in health facilities and communities,
as well as on-the-job mentoring to primary health care workers. This
operational approach is geared towards reducing morbidity and mortality in the
community.
“Lagos is the most populous city in Africa and the outbreak
is a major concern. Since the activation of the Emergency Operations Centre,
WHO is coordinating partners to swiftly support the state in saving the lives
of vulnerable people in the affected local government areas,” says Dr Okafor.
With funding from the Canadian Government (CANGiVE), WHO is
supporting the community outreach efforts. The Organization has also provided
35 essential emergency community and periphery cholera kits, which can treat at
least 5250 people.
While the Government of Nigeria, along with partners, is
working hard to contain the outbreak, it is important for all stakeholders to
rally round the government to support it to halt community transmission and
save lives,” says Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Representative in Nigeria.
“Controlling a cholera outbreak requires a multifaceted approach, using
surveillance, water, sanitation and hygiene measures, risk communication/social
mobilization, timely treatment and oral cholera vaccines.”
Cholera is both a health problem and a socioeconomic
development challenge, requiring a robust multisectoral response. The long-term
solution for cholera control lies in economic development and universal access
to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
“I was sceptical about the appropriate preventive measures for cholera, but the health care workers boosted my confidence with the right information” says Basirat Tanimu, a community member in Eti Osa. “Now, I am constantly advocating to my neighbours on the importance of keeping the environment clean, to keep ourselves and children safe.”