The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to find a solution to the spread of Cholera in the country, News About Nigeria reports.
They made this call following the adoption of a motion brought under matter of urgent public importance during plenary in Abuja on Tuesday.
The motion, which was titled “Urgent need to check the outbreak of cholera in Lagos and other parts of the country” was moved by the Minority leader of House, Hon Kingsley Chinda.
He noted that the Federal and State governments need to urgently put in place measures to effectively check the outbreak of cholera in the country.
Chinda stated that the recent outbreak of cholera in Lagos State as well as several other parts of the country, including the latest outbreak of the disease in the country which has been reported and confirmed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), raises very serious public health concern for the government and the citizenry alike.
He explained that the outbreak of the disease, which was first widely reported in Lagos State, is now reported to have spread to other parts of the country, with several casualties and deaths reported.
“The provision of 8.17(3)(c} of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN), 1999 (as amended) that “the State shall direct its policies towards ensuring that the health safe, and welfare of all persons are safe and not endangered or abused.
“The provisions of 8.17(3)(d) of the CFRN which states that “the State shall direct its policies towards ensuring that there are adequate medical and health facilities for all persons”.
“According to the NCDC, while the latest outbreak of the disease continues, it has been reported in Lagos and 31 other States across the country, including Abia, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Cross River, Delta, Imo, Nasarawa, Katsina and Zamfara States, amongst others.
“Concerned about the public and personal health of teeming Nigerians largely due to lack of access to clean water, poor sanitation, poor personal hygiene and more.
“Also concerned about the rapid rate at which the disease has spread across Lagos and several other parts of the country within a short time, especially against the backdrop of reports that the government has run out of vaccines to effectively tackle it, even as the death toll continues to escalate in those States,” he stated.
The House, therefore, mandated its committees on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values to make public orientation, enlightenment and education of citizens on the need to maintain personal hygiene at all times.
The House, in its resolutions, also mandated the House Committee on Healthcare services to urgently liaise with relevant stakeholders in the health sector to investigate the root cause of the outbreak.
