Water scarcity: Cholera looms in Abeokuta

Dare Olawin (From the archives)

Cholera is an infectious disease that causes acute severe dehydration and even death if untreated. It is caused by eating or drinking water that has been contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio Cholerae.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Cholera is primarily linked to insufficient access to safe water and proper sanitation; its impact can even be more dramatic in areas where basic environmental infrastructures are disrupted or have been destroyed. 

In Abeokuta today, the ongoing massive road constructions have brought about insufficient access to safe water as most water pipelines have been tampered with. It is very laudable that the Ogun State government wasted no time in making sure new water pipelines are being installed to make potable water available to people, even before the completion of the roads. 

However, the fact that nobody can sustain without water has made the masses to resort to alternative water sources that are not safe enough for drinking. The problem became more compounded when producers of sachet water, popularly known as ‘pure water’ increased the price of one sachet of water from N5 to N10 across Abeokuta. They attributed the increase to water scarcity in the state capital, occasioned by the ongoing road constructions. The increase in the price of ‘pure water’ has made it unaffordable to many; making them to resort to any available water source.

The governor of Ogun State, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun

In July 2013, there was an outbreak of Cholera in Abeokuta with about five lives lost. The swift action taken by government restored normalcy then. This makes it very imperative for government to take adequate preventive measures against another outbreak of the disease. Cholera is an extremely virulent disease that affects both children and adults. Unlike other diarrhoeal diseases, it can kill healthy adults within hours. It will be heart-rending to record another case of Cholera when we have the capacity to prevent it.

The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo

It must be noted that, water has been a problem in Abeokuta a long time ago, especially for those living on the outskirts or in the remote areas of the city. A larger percentage of the people cannot afford to dig boreholes or even wells. This is because of the rocky nature of the soil, which makes digging more difficult and expensive. That is why most people are seen on the streets with containers, searching for water from one place to another.

The onus is therefore on government to come to the aid of residents by providing state-of-the-art solar-powered boreholes in strategic locations, and placing them under the supervision of the Community Development Associations (CDA) for proper maintenances. This will reduce water scarcity and prevent Cholera outbreak.

With this in place, the next step is for government and other stakeholders to sensitise the public on the need to observe high level of personal and environmental hygiene. People must be made to know how important it is to boil their drinking water and cook or reheat their food thoroughly before eating.

It is also important to address the issue of poor toilet facilities, which is rampant in some areas. Those defecating in the open must also be warned to put an end to such barbaric and act. Individuals must know how important it is to wash their hands under running water, before and after meals; the same must be done after using the toilet.

Above all, it is required of us all to watch what we put in our mouths. We must all keep our environments neat and clean for healthy living. This will guarantee us an environment free of Cholera and other killer diseases.