The Kano State Government has issued a stern warning to residents against consuming rainwater during the rainy season as a preventive measure to curb the spread of cholera, News About Nigeria reports.
This advisory was communicated through a statement by Ibrahim Abdullahi, Head of the Public Relations Unit at the Ministry of Health, on Saturday.
According to the statement, the advice is crucial given the historical rise in cholera cases during the rainy season, which has already affected several states in Nigeria.
“It is necessary to warn and remind the people that prevention is better than cure. People should always examine what they take, most importantly vegetables, fruits, and drinking water,” Abdullahi said.
He asked citizens to be vigilant in ensuring the safety of food and water to protect against cholera and other waterborne diseases.
“People need to be wary in this regard to protect themselves from contaminated food or water. It is important for people to understand that the rainwater at the beginning of the rainy season is unclean. If one must use it, it must then be purified using water treatment substances, including boiling and filtering before use.”
The health official reiterated the need for meticulous attention to food and water hygiene to safeguard public health.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, the state government has attributed the recent surge in cholera cases to the consumption of tiger nut drinks.
Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, revealed these findings during an interview with Punch following thorough investigations into the outbreak.
“When we noticed an increase in cases in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos specifically, we went there to investigate. We carried out a survey and found that the common denominator, which was one of the deadly factors, was a tiger nut drink. People who came to the hospitals all identified that they had drunk tiger nut drink,” Dr. Ogunyemi explained.
The investigation uncovered that these beverages were unregistered and potentially unsafe.
Health officials faced challenges tracing the source of the drinks due to unreachable phone numbers and the availability of only empty bottles for inspection.
