By Justina Auta
The Mariam Adeola Gbadebo (MAG) Foundation collaborates with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Zenith Medical And Kidney Centre on awareness campaign to prevent spread of cholera and other water-borne diseases.
It’s Founder, Ms Mariam Gbadebo, during the exercise in Junior Secondary School, Apo Resettlement on Thursday in Abuja, said the initiative was to ensure that FCT was free from cholera and other water borne diseases.
Gbadebo, said the theme, ” Improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Practices: Invest in prevention for better health outcome” was a call for more proactive measures from the government and stakeholders to prevent the spread of diseases.
“We want to ensure that necessary prevention is taken to prevent people falling ill.
“It is very unfortunate that a lot of people believe that ‘seeing is believing’ even as they are hearing that there is an outbreak of cholera in Lagos and some other states.
“It has not gotten to FCT and we don’t want it to get here.
“That is why we are going ahead by taking the first step to prevent and make sure cholera does not breach the borders of FCT,” she said.
Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, FCTA, represented by Dr Asmau Adams, Assistant Director, Special Duty Community Engagement Department, emphasised the need to prevent cholera being recorded in the FCT.
“This cholera outbreak has been giving us sleepless night. Right from the time it started in Lagos and about 31 states as well as lot of deaths that have been recorded.
“And with the cholera outbreak recorded in Nasarawa and other states, so we are very proactive and all hands are on deck to prevent the spread.”
Similarly, Dr Mosunmola Abdul Waheed, Deputy Director, Digital Innovation and Creative Education Department, Women Affairs Secretariat, added that they have been sensitising the public to preventive measures to curtail cholera spread.
“If we have to go round without the intervention of private sectors or NGOs, it will be very difficult for governments to cover all.
“So, the government is putting it on the media space, educating the students, mothers and the general public on prevention and proper hygiene management.
Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, Director, Public Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, represented by Mrs Veronica Augustine, urged the students to imbibe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Practices to prevent diseases.
Dr Racheal Idoko, a medical practitioner, advised the students on some of the symptoms of cholera, which includes severe diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, dehydration, amongst others.
Meanwhile, Mrs Victoria Nwosu, Director and Principal, JSS, Apo Resettlement, expressed appreciation to the foundation and other stakeholders for the initiative, which she said would promote WASH practices and prevent diseases.
Some of the students, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said they will step down the training learnt to their parents, friends and others to ensure cholera prevention. (NAN)