FCTA calls for enhanced sanitation measures as schools reopen

The Federal Capital Territory has emphasised the significance of putting policies in place to stop the outbreak and spread of cholera in schools as students in private and public schools across the country return to class today after the midterm break, continuing the 2023/2024 Third Term Academic Session.

Sani Ladan, the director of the FCT Secondary Education Board, stated that the organisation had made school principals aware of the disease and implemented preventative measures like sanitary practices and food vendor monitoring.

He added that the board had supplied trash cans to guarantee appropriate waste sorting and disposal, as well as disinfectants, toilet paper, and hand washing stations at the school's restrooms to guarantee adherence to hygienic standards.

The principals of the schools were made aware of the problem, and numerous solutions are being developed. The first is how clean the schools are. Second, food handling, as all of our cooks have received extensive training on how to handle food-related issues even before now. From the grocery store to the location of preparation, packaging, and serving methods for the students, as well as the gathering and cleaning of plates.

Additionally, the majority of our schools currently forbid students from eating or dropping anything. We designed it to resemble a bottle, so you should throw anything that's wet or inside the water bottle there, according to Ladan.

He continued by saying that the board was working closely with the Public Health and Disease Control Departments of the FCT Health, Human Services, and Environment Secretariat, in the event of any cases of an outbreak across the schools.
Experts claim that unhygienic surroundings, a lack of clean water sources, and a shortage of cleaning supplies can put people at risk of contracting cholera.

A highly contagious food and waterborne illness, cholera is spread both directly through eating or drinking contaminated food or water and indirectly through neglecting personal hygiene and handwashing.

Acute, painless, watery diarrhoea that appears suddenly, with or without vomiting, is one of the symptoms of cholera. Frequent vomiting, nausea, and fever are possible side effects.

Dehydration can cause severe cases to result in death within hours, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. However, about 80% of people may only experience mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.

It also mentioned that most infected individuals can be successfully treated with oral rehydration solution, which replaces lost fluids and electrolytes, and the appropriate antibiotics if the disease is discovered early.

350 suspected cases of cholera in 29 wards spread across several LGAs in the state had been confirmed by the Lagos State Ministry of Health, with 17 cases confirmed and 15 deaths.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, reported that from January 1 to June 11, 30 deaths and 65 confirmed cases of cholera were reported throughout 96 local governments in 30 states.