As Lagos State government battles with the problem of massive flooding caused by intensive rainfall in the state, the state government has charged residents to take precautionary health measures to avert water borne infections.
The Lagos state Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris in a chat with Journalists alerted members of the public to the health hazards of the flood occasioned by last Sunday's rains in the state and urged them to take precautionary health measures.
Idris highlighted the intermediate and secondary effects of the flood to include the spread of cholera, typhoid fever, malaria, common cold and other Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTIs), skin infections like scabies, fungal infections and allergic reactions triggering asthma attacks.
The Commissioner therefore urged members of the public to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene at all times by ensuring frequent and thorough hand washing, clothing children and the elderly with warm clothings during the rains, and to take in plenty of fruits to boost their immunity while parents should prevent their children and others from wading through flood waters.
He also charged members of the public to drink water from trusted and safe sources or in the alternative boil their water before drinking, adding that avoiding indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainages, canals and waterways and clearing of drains in front of their houses were the other precautionary measures expected to be taken by Lagosians.
The commissioner counselled any sick member of the public to visit any of the government health facility nearest to them.
Meanwhile, residents of Iju-Ogundimu village, Iju in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government have cried out over flood disaster in the area.
In a petition addressed to the Lagos State House of Assembly titled; "two children were lost to flood, millions of properties destroyed and residents hospitalised",
The residents had attributed the adverse flooding to the improper channelling of the drainage under construction by LAMATA/LARALEK.
According to the petition, "the construction company did not take cognizance of the implication of directing the drainage flow into Iju River without providing for the massive inflow from the Iju/Ishaga and Iju/Ogundimu roads .
The flood, according to the residents was as a result of inflow of the drainage under construction by LAMATA/LARALEK. This, they said is from the point of Agege, but with massive inflow from IJU/ISHAGA road construction downward to IJU-OGUNDIMU without any guide.
They alleged that LAMATA and LARALEK had felt unconcerned about those people that were at the receiving end of the drainage construction now that the rains had come and the floods set in and cautioned, "If the rain continues this way, an epidemic disease outbreak might occur. The lives of residents of this community will be at your mercy for urgent attention".
The Deputy Clerk, Ibisola Ogayemi had yesterday read the petition on the floor of the House which resolved and set up a 3-member ad-hoc committee headed by Hon. Ajibayo Adeyeye and given two weeks to report back.
like Asa sang" there's fire on the mountain, and nobody seem to be on the run"
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