Cholera: Preventing An Outbreak on Campus 

A raging cholera outbreak is sweeping through Lagos state. According to a Premium Times’ publication, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, disclosed on June 15 that laboratory tests confirmed a cholera outbreak in the state. He said the tests identified the strain as being highly aggressive and contagious, with the potential for widespread transmission.

Cholera is an infection of the intestines caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. This bacterial disease can be fatal if left untreated. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cholera affects approximately 1.3 million to 4 million people worldwide each year. 

Symptoms of cholera include severe watery diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, leg cramps, and dehydration and shock. Many people who contract cholera do not show any symptoms, but in severe cases, it can lead to death within hours if left untreated. 

Mayo Clinic, in a publication, stated that “most people exposed to the cholera bacterium (Vibrio cholerae) don’t become ill and don’t know they’ve been infected. But because they shed cholera bacteria in their stool for seven to 14 days, they can still infect others through contaminated water.”

How Does the Disease Spread?

Cholera can spread through person-to-person contact, contaminated food and water, inadequate hygiene practices, shared facilities and utensils, and close living quarters.

One strong implication of being a University of Ibadan student is that you are not a stranger to crowded lecture rooms. In the faculty of arts, for instance, you will most likely take Philosophy 101 with 300 other students or even more. This is also the case in some faculties, where you would find more than 200 students taking the same course. These hundreds of students will have to take lectures in just one room, leaving the lecture theatre crowded. 

In addition, the case is not so different in halls of residence, where 3, 4, 5, 6, and even as many as 8 people have to share one room. The occupants of several rooms must also share a limited number of bathrooms and toilets. Students living outside the university campus are not left out, as a number of them complain about a lack of access to clean water. 

Taking these factors into consideration, it becomes evident that a university environment is a potential hotspot for an outbreak. Crowded environments and close living quarters can put you at risk of contracting cholera. This is due to the possibility of poor hygiene, contaminated water sources, food contamination, and overcrowding.

Preventing an Outbreak of the Disease on Campus 

We are in the resumption period, and students will journey to school from different places in Nigeria, including Lagos, the epicentre of the outbreak. The possibility of contracting the disease without showing symptoms can make it difficult to detect the disease in people. This raises concern about how to prevent an outbreak on campus. 

To prevent an outbreak on campus, it is important for students, staff, and administrators to prioritise hygiene. There should be regular maintenance of bathrooms and toilets in halls of residence and faculties. We must take proactive steps to protect ourselves and the campus community. Students need to adopt good hygiene practices. Keep toilets and bathrooms clean! It is important to flush toilets with enough water and wash your hands thoroughly after use. 

There should be sufficient cleaning and disinfection protocols in school cafeterias. There must be responsible food handling and preparation. Foods should be well-cooked and properly handled. Students should also adopt these practices. Cook your food properly with clean water. Wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consumption. Also, wash your hands after touching dirty surfaces and before eating. 

Finally, it is important to ensure proper waste management. The implementation of a proper waste management system will reduce the risk of cholera outbreaks on campus.

In the medical field, it is commonly said that “prevention is the best cure.” It is our joint responsibility to ensure a healthy university community. We must adopt these measures dutifully to prevent a cholera outbreak on campus.

Photo credit: Premium Times.