By OLA AJAYI
IBADAN—AN outbreak of cholera epidemic has led to the death of four persons while 16 others are lying critically ill in some parts of the Ibadan North West Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Victims who are still battling with the epidemic were said to have been taken to Ayeye Health Centre and another maternity centre at Oniyanrin.
To curb the spread, health officers on the directive of the caretaker chairman, Mr. Wasiu Olatunbosun have treated wells which are the major sources of water in the area. Also, adjoining areas have been fumigated.
Food vendors in the communities have reportedly been barred from selling any edible thing pending the time the epidemic will be checked.
Olatunbosun confirmed the development but said he had taken a decisive step to check it from spreading to other parts.
According to him, immediately he received the information he directed the health and environment management units of the council to start a one week intensive assessment and intervention in the affected areas so as to determine the cause and extent of the outbreak.
He also said he asked the health officers in the council to chlorinate all the sources of water that people in the area depended upon.
In addition, he told Vanguard that he would visit the affected parts which include Opoyeosa, Abebi, Idi Ikan, Ekotedo and Alawo.
He said: “I got the information on Saturday and directed the Director of Environmental Services to go to the areas and chlorinate the water that people of the areas drink. By tomorrow (Monday), I will personally visit the areas. We shall also try to build public toilets for them immediately.”
Also corroborating the chairman, the Director of Environmental Services in the council, Mr. Olalekan Olatunbosun, explained that Ayeye community was the worst hit.
On the casualty figure, he stated that three adults and a child were, so far, reported dead.
He noted that the cause of the epidemic was as a result of the absence of toilet facilities in most of the houses in the affected communities.
When they visited the places, he stressed they found out that most of the houses do not have toilets and waste bins.
“Their water sources must have been polluted because they dumped faeces carelessly all around their houses. During earlier routine visits to the areas, before the cholera outbreak occurred, we marked some houses and gave them two weeks notice to put up toilets.”
The director further added that the landlords in the areas were given ultimatum of two weeks to build toilets.
IBADAN—AN outbreak of cholera epidemic has led to the death of four persons while 16 others are lying critically ill in some parts of the Ibadan North West Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Victims who are still battling with the epidemic were said to have been taken to Ayeye Health Centre and another maternity centre at Oniyanrin.
To curb the spread, health officers on the directive of the caretaker chairman, Mr. Wasiu Olatunbosun have treated wells which are the major sources of water in the area. Also, adjoining areas have been fumigated.
Food vendors in the communities have reportedly been barred from selling any edible thing pending the time the epidemic will be checked.
Olatunbosun confirmed the development but said he had taken a decisive step to check it from spreading to other parts.
According to him, immediately he received the information he directed the health and environment management units of the council to start a one week intensive assessment and intervention in the affected areas so as to determine the cause and extent of the outbreak.
He also said he asked the health officers in the council to chlorinate all the sources of water that people in the area depended upon.
In addition, he told Vanguard that he would visit the affected parts which include Opoyeosa, Abebi, Idi Ikan, Ekotedo and Alawo.
He said: “I got the information on Saturday and directed the Director of Environmental Services to go to the areas and chlorinate the water that people of the areas drink. By tomorrow (Monday), I will personally visit the areas. We shall also try to build public toilets for them immediately.”
Also corroborating the chairman, the Director of Environmental Services in the council, Mr. Olalekan Olatunbosun, explained that Ayeye community was the worst hit.
On the casualty figure, he stated that three adults and a child were, so far, reported dead.
He noted that the cause of the epidemic was as a result of the absence of toilet facilities in most of the houses in the affected communities.
When they visited the places, he stressed they found out that most of the houses do not have toilets and waste bins.
“Their water sources must have been polluted because they dumped faeces carelessly all around their houses. During earlier routine visits to the areas, before the cholera outbreak occurred, we marked some houses and gave them two weeks notice to put up toilets.”
The director further added that the landlords in the areas were given ultimatum of two weeks to build toilets.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/cholera-hits-ibadan-kills-416-hospitalised/