The Lagos State government has announced that it is receiving additional support from the World Health Organization (WHO) to address a cholera outbreak at Kirikiri Medium Security Prison.
Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi confirmed that 25 inmates have been affected by severe gastroenteritis caused by cholera.
Urgent medical and environmental intervention measures have been successfully implemented, including supplying the prison with intravenous fluids, infection prevention, and other health consumables.
The WHO has also donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals to support the prison's health facilities in preventing the spread of cholera among the approximately 3,200 inmates.
Immediate water and sanitation issues have been addressed, and ongoing inspections are being conducted at other correctional facilities in the state. The initial outbreak has been traced back to unregulated street beverages and contaminated water sources.
Undercover environmental officers found that many of the popular street beverages purchased in affected areas contained Vibrio cholerae bacteria, the cause of cholera. These beverages were produced by small, informal backyard units without NAFDAC accreditation numbers.
While no new cholera-related deaths have been reported in the last 72 hours, the government is intensifying countermeasures to eliminate transmission.
