The Equitable Health Access Initiative (EHAI) is partnering with the Lagos state ministries of education, environment, water resources, and health to curb the spread of cholera and prevent future outbreaks.

Akin Abayomi, the commissioner of health in Lagos state, disclosed this on Wednesday at a stakeholders dialogue on the community-centred WASH interventions to control cholera in Lagos (COMWASH) Project.

Mr Abayomi described the project as a good development to help prevent the future outbreak and spread of cholera across the state.

According to him, the state government is doing a lot to prevent and curb the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19 and waterborne diseases, including cholera.

Mr Abayomi stated that the management of waterborne disease was a collective responsibility of many agencies in the state.

“The government is working to ensure we have renewable energy and water so that people can have access to good water supply.

“We are planning to build multiple public toilets, particularly for the inbound migrants who come into Lagos on a daily basis without any known/designated residential address.

“And we are very keen on public education because educating the students, households, markets, and the general public is very important.

“They need to be well informed about good sanitation and hygiene practices,” Mr Abayomi said.

Dr Timothy Akinmurele, the chief executive officer, EHAI, said that the COMWASH project was funded by the American people through the USAID.

Mr Akinmurele said the project aims to curb cholera transmission and strengthen community resilience against cholera outbreaks through targeted WASH interventions across seven affected local government areas in Lagos state.

According to him, the project will identify and train WASH ambassadors from selected marketplaces, schools, motor parks, and communities to disseminate best practices in WASH among their peers and students.

“In response to the recent cholera outbreak in Lagos, EHAl received a sub-grant under the USAID-funded Lagos Urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (LUWASH) initiative.

“This funding supports the implementation of the Community-Centered WASH Interventions to Control Cholera in Lagos State (COM-WASH) project across seven affected Local Government Areas (LGAs).

“The key objectives of the project include strengthening WASH practices across targeted LGAs by increasing community awareness and education on cholera prevention.

“Promoting sustainable community engagement and capacity building for improved hygiene and sanitation, and bolstering the capacity of the local governments to prevent and respond swiftly to cholera outbreaks.

“Additionally, essential WASH supplies will be distributed to targeted schools, markets, motor parks and communities to support these initiatives,” he said.

Modupe Okah, director, medical services, health and safety, Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), urged the public to imbibe good hygiene practices and ensure proper disposal of their wastes.

Mr Okah said that citizens should ensure they engage in the right waste management practices, as highlighted during the programme, by engaging the right LAWMA operators for the proper disposal of waste.

“Once we can have prompt and effective waste management, we can actually prevent the surface and underground water from being infected.

“So, if there is a breakdown in waste management, then water surface can be polluted and can lead to the spread of waterborne infections, and that’s where LAWMA comes in; for prompt evacuation and management of waste,” Mr Okah said.

EHAI is a Lagos-based indigenous tech-driven non-governmental organisation (NGO) that has implemented a range of public health projects across 15 states in Nigeria over the past 11 years.

(NAN)