Enforcement of environmental laws in Kano will check outbreak of cholera- WHO

An official of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has called for enforcement of environmental laws in Kano state to check the outbreak of cholera and other communicable diseases in the state.

Dr Hamisu Wallah, National Surveillance Officer, WHO office, Abuja, made the call in Kano on Thursday at a one-day sensitisation workshop for health educators and media representatives.

The workshop was organised by the Kano state Ministry of Health in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation (WHO).

Wallah said the call was necessary to curtail the increasing cases of cholera outbreak in some parts of the state in recent time.

He said that for cholera and other communicable diseases to be prevented or controlled, there was need to enforce environmental laws in the state.

He charged health educators and other sanitary inspectors to rise up to the challenges by ensuring that the state environmental laws were enforced to tackle the scourge.

He said the workshop was organised to create awareness on the disease among health educators and media representatives to enable them disseminate information on preventive measures among the various communities in the state.

“The forum is also intended to provide information on on-going control measures being carried out by the state and Federal Governments,'' he said.

The WHO official urged the participants to focus on key public education methods for prevention and control of the deadly disease.

He urged health educators to enlighten the people on the dangers locating pit latrines near sources of water such as wells and boreholes.

The workshop participants were drawn from the 44 local government areas in Kano as well as working journalists in the state.