Lagos Govt Speaks on Real Reason For Cholera Outbreak, Details Surface
- The Lagos State Government has provided clarity regarding the source of the cholera outbreak currently affecting the state
- Initial reports had indicated that the outbreak was linked to the consumption of an unregistered tiger nut drink allegedly sold in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
- Responding to the report, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, said the report was mispresented
The Lagos State Government has provided clarity regarding the source of the cholera outbreak currently affecting the state.
TheTalk.NG gathered that initial reports had indicated that the outbreak was linked to the consumption of an unregistered tiger nut drink allegedly sold in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwolu
Photo credit: @adeyanjudejiSource: Twitter
However, responding to the report, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, clarified that Ms. Ogunyemi did not definitively state the findings of the state’s investigation into the cholera outbreak.
He explained that the state is actively investigating various potential sources, including the tiger nut drink, to ascertain the root cause of the outbreak, Premium Times reported after an interview with the Lagos government.
Ogunyemi highlighted the tiger nut drink reportedly consumed by many individuals who presented with cholera symptoms in Eti-Osa Local Government Area as a significant common factor.
Additionally, she noted that a majority of those affected confirmed consuming the drink before experiencing symptoms such as diarrhoea, which led them to seek treatment at hospitals, TheCable reported.
Ogunyemi said:
“When we observed a surge in cases in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos, we conducted an investigation.
“We conducted a survey and found that the common factor, which contributed significantly to the outbreak, was a tiger nut drink.
“Individuals who visited hospitals all reported consuming this drink. We couldn’t solely rely on their statements, so we took samples of the drink to analyze its contents.
“We promptly dispatched teams to locate vendors selling it in order to obtain samples.”
Tiger nut drinks were not registered, says Ogunyemi
Ogunyemi also revealed that further investigation into the tiger nut being heavily patronised by the state revealed that it was unregistered and not for consumption.
She said:
“We discovered empty bottles labelled with a name, but it was not registered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the regulatory body responsible for ensuring the safety of consumables.
“We canvassed the area to inquire where people obtained the drinks. However, we only found empty bottles, which were unusable for testing. The phone number on the bottle was inactive.
“Our investigation revealed that the beverages were unregistered, indicating the producers had not followed necessary procedures to ensure safety for public consumption. We traced the outbreak back to this source.”
Cholera outbreak: LASG says Over 20 dead, cases jump to 417
In a related development, the Lagos state government reported on Friday, June 21 that the number of deaths following the cholera outbreak in the state has risen to 24, while suspected cases have increased from 401 to 417.
The commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, made this disclosure in a situation report shared on his social media handle on Friday, June 16.
Source: Fox Nigeria
