Cholera: Osun takes sensitisation to markets as suspected cases drop

The Osun State Government has taken Cholera sensitisation to the streets and markets in Ile-Ife, just as the suspected cases in the state declined from 14 to one.

Giving the update during an interview with PUNCH Online on Thursday, the State Commissioner for Health, Jola Akinola, said out of the 14 suspected cases, 13 results obtained so far turned out to be negative, while one result was still being expected.

Akinola, however, said the state would not lower its guard, assuring that no effort was being spared to ensure that there was no Cholera outbreak in Osun.

“We just finished the cholera technical group meeting. The summary of the report is still the same thing. As of today, we have recorded 14 suspected cases. And the results of 13 out of the 14 are negative. So we are expecting the result of the 14th one.

“Even at that, the boy whose sample was taken to the laboratory was playing football at the time the state team visited the household. We were responsible for the drugs administered to him. He is hale and healthy, but we are waiting for the result by tomorrow (Friday). So, no confirmed case yet,” Akinola said.

Meanwhile, officials from the State Ministry of Health on Thursday held a sensitisation rally against Cholera at Sabo Market, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Addressing market men and women during the rally, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Sanitation, Richard Afolayan, disclosed that the state Governor, Ademola Adeleke, was committed to ensuring that the Cholera outbreak was not recorded in the state.

Afolayan added, “The essence of our intervention here today is to sensitize the people of Ile-Ife and the state at large on the need for them to be committed to a neat environment.

“We are all aware of the fact that about 30 states of the federation are currently affected by Cholera, and we are fortunate today in the state that we don’t have such incidents.

“The state Governor, Ademola Adeleke is committed to making sure that the issues of Cholera outbreak is forbidden in Osun.”

Speaking in a similar vein, the Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation in the Ministry, Wale Akala, urged Ife residents to maintain the cleanliness of their environment.

“We told the leader of the markets, the health officials and other stakeholders to ensure sustenance of what we have come to do today, so there won’t be an outbreak of diseases, not just Cholera,” Akala said.