Health and sanitation experts have called for intensified efforts by concerned stakeholders to avert possible disease outbreaks in states battling flood challenges.
According to them, if Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues are not prioritized immediately in Maiduguri, Borno State capital and its environs that were recently ravaged by devastating flood, residents might have to be inflicted with deadly diseases.
Already, Borno State is one of the states in Nigeria that still contend with the issue of open defecation.
Experts noted that it was possible for the recent flood to have swept human faeces and urine into the body systems of the survivors of the disaster of which if they are not quickly treated, they may be struck with Neglected Tropical Diseases.
A World Health Organisation report on NTDs had shown that Nigeria and 15 other countries have the highest burdens of the diseases. NTDs are a diverse group of 20 conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they affect more than one billion people who live in impoverished communities.
The diseases are caused by a variety of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins.
Aside from the fact that the flood has displaced residents, killed some and also destroyed property, experts said there are health risks such as water borne diseases and sanitation crises that should be given emergency attention to prevent more loss of lives in affected areas.
Even though the Federal Government had warned Borno residents to apply cautionary measures, as drinking water may be contaminated, a Sanitation and Hygiene Manager for Water Aid Nigeria, Dare Oduluyi told The Point in an interview that the Federal and Borno State Governments should do more than warning in securing the lives of the people.
At a press briefing in Abuja last week, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev said that while the Federal Government sympathised with the Borno State government and the displaced residents, it was important to inform people on the need to beware of their source of drinking water.
Utsev stated that there is a possibility of an outbreak of waterborne diseases following the devastating flooding.
He said, “It should be noted however, that as we try to recover from this disaster, the water we drink may be contaminated, we should please be mindful of this, so as to avoid further outbreak of waterborne and communicable diseases.”
But, Oduluyi said residents of Borno are also threatened by the sanitation crisis because the flood has washed some toilets away, a situation that may worsen the open defecation practice in the state.
“Though a lot of emergency response is happening in Borno, sanitation matters should be given priority. We have been talking about water resilient facilities, climate resilient WASH but the truth is that most of the facilities right now cannot stand the test of this flood. Water sources have been contaminated, some will even be outrightly destroyed, toilets have been submerged and as a result of that, even the neglected tropical diseases like diarrhea will surface.
“People drinking contaminated water will spark another concern,” the water expert said.
He said, “Water disaster or flooding, for me, is sometimes worse than insecurity. If someone wants to attack you, you still have the opportunity to run somewhere or hide but for water, you can’t. So, the effect is enormous.
“In Borno State now, they have closed down the schools for the next two weeks. That is one significant effect. Students will miss those periods and the entire country will not wait for them. The uniform examination they do will not wait for them because they have flood that is already a loss for them. When they resume, they will either rush or just skip those parts.
“Another thing that we have to look at is life and property. People are dead and properties have been destroyed, houses and cars have been submerged. The water from Alau Dam is not the kind that could enter a car engine and the engine will work well again.
People will get displaced and they will lose their houses and before you know it, they go back to being internally displaced people.
More serious and urgent actions should be taken to address the health hazards that are threatening the lives of the people in Borno,” Oduluyi stated.
Reacting to the disaster, A WASH specialist with United Nations Children’s Fund, Chioma Adimorah, said UNICEF is supporting the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in building toilets to the displaced residents in Internally Displaced Camps in the state with a view to tackling the impending sanitation and hygiene crisis.
She said two IDP camps have been established and more would be constructed, adding that there is a committee for cholera outbreak in place.
The specialist disclosed that efforts are on for disinfection of contaminated water.
