Cholera: LAWMA promotes safe hygiene practices to tackle outbreak

Demonstration of hand washing

In the wake of the current outbreak of cholera in Lagos State and its environs, the Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has urgently called on the residents to prioritise personal and domestic hygiene.

Gbadegesin, who spoke on Monday at the LAWMA headquarters in Ijora Olopa, said all hands should be on the deck to maintain a clean and safe environment, even as he called for a series of precautionary measures, including proper waste disposal, safe drinking water, frequent hand-washing, and the use of covered bins for waste.

“The outbreak of cholera in the state is a serious public health concern. Every resident must take proactive measures to prevent further spread of the disease. Ensuring proper personal and domestic hygiene, including efficient waste management, will go a long way in curbing the spread of the fatal disease”, he avowed.

To prevent the spread of disease, Gbadegesin advocated for several key measures. These include proper waste disposal through bagging and using covered bins to deter pests, ensuring safe drinking water, frequent handwashing with soap, and following food safety practices. He also urged residents to avoid littering and rely on assigned sanitation service providers for waste collection.

Stressing that LAWMA is stepping up waste management efforts, he announced increased efforts to ensure prompt waste collection throughout Lagos. Service providers will work tirelessly to tackle existing waste build-up “black spots”.

Calling on residents to practice good hygiene by washing hands after handling waste, he advocated for community support in achieving the state’s environmental goals by urging residents to avoid littering in drains, road medians, and elsewhere.

“We are fully committed to the health and safety of every Lagosian. Our teams are on the ground, ensuring that waste is properly collected and disposed of to minimise health risks. However, we need the cooperation of all residents to maintain a clean and safe environment”, Gbadegesin stressed.

Cholera spreads primarily through contaminated water and food and thrives in unsanitary conditions. The latest disease outbreak which has so far claimed a number of lives and left many others hospitalised in the state, is a severe diarrheal illness caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.