The Mariam Adeola Gbadebo (MAG) Foundation collaborates with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), and Zenith Medical And Kidney Centre on an awareness campaign to prevent the spread of cholera and other water-borne diseases.
Its founder, Ms Mariam Gbadebo, during the exercise in Junior Secondary School, Apo Resettlement on Thursday in Abuja, said the initiative was to ensure that FCT was free from cholera and other waterborne diseases.
Gbadebo, said the theme, ”Improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Practices: Invest in prevention for better health outcome” was a call for more proactive measures from the government and stakeholders to prevent the spread of diseases.
“We want to ensure that necessary prevention is taken to prevent people falling ill.
“It is very unfortunate that a lot of people believe that ‘seeing is believing’ even as they are hearing that there is an outbreak of cholera in Lagos and some other states.
“It has not gotten to FCT and we don’t want it to get here.
“That is why we are going ahead by taking the first step to prevent and make sure cholera does not breach the borders of FCT,” she said.
The Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, FCTA, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi represented by Dr Asmau Adams, Assistant Director, Special Duty Community Engagement Department, emphasised the need to prevent cholera from being recorded in the FCT.
“This cholera outbreak has been giving us sleepless night. Right from the time it started in Lagos and about 31 states as well as lot of deaths that have been recorded.
“And with the cholera outbreak recorded in Nasarawa and other states, so we are very proactive and all hands are on deck to prevent the spread.”
Similarly, the Digital Innovation and Creative Education Department, Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr Mosunmola Abdul Waheed, Deputy Director added that they have been sensitising the public to preventive measures to curtail cholera spread.
“If we have to go round without the intervention of private sectors or NGOs, it will be very difficult for governments to cover all.
“So, the government is putting it on the media space, educating the students, mothers and the general public on prevention and proper hygiene management.
The Director of, Public Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Chukwuma Anyaike represented by Mrs Veronica Augustine, urged the students to imbibe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Practices to prevent diseases.
A medical practitioner, Dr Racheal Idoko advised the students on some of the symptoms of cholera, which include severe diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and dehydration, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the Director and Principal, of JSS, Apo Resettlement, Mrs Victoria Nwosu expressed appreciation to the foundation and other stakeholders for the initiative, which she said would promote WASH practices and prevent diseases.
Some of the students said they would step down from the training learnt to their parents, friends and others to ensure cholera prevention.
By Justina Auta
