In response to a deadly cholera outbreak that has claimed the lives of 30 people in some States of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has mobilized to carry out water analysis and implement measures to prevent further spread of the disease.
The Ministry has dispatched teams from the National Water Quality Reference Laboratories in Lagos, Enugu, and Sokoto to collect water samples and investigate the presence of the causative organism, Vibrio cholerae, in the affected areas.
The Ministry is also collaborating with the States' Technical Working Groups and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies to address the outbreak holistically.
Prior to the outbreak, the National WASH in Emergency Technical Working Group had trained the States' working groups on preparedness, prevention, and response mechanisms, as well as hygiene promotion and water safety planning approaches to prevent and respond to cholera outbreaks.
The Ministry is urging all Nigerians to take precautions to protect themselves and their families from the infection, including boiling or treating drinking water before consumption, washing hands regularly with soap under running and clean water, washing fruits and vegetables with safe water and salt before eating, and seeking medical attention immediately if experiencing symptoms of cholera.
The Ministry will continue to provide updates as received from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and will update the public on the response efforts as the situation evolves.
