Youths for Public Safety By Abubakar Jimoh
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There is urgent need for the government of Nigeria, like those of other parts of the world to step up its quest towards ensuring vivacious health care system in the country giving the fact there has been palpable increase in the statistics of outbreaks of diseases, which has resulted in several deaths annually. In recent times, many Nigerian communities are conversant with diseases such as cholera, meningitis, and polio.
Outbreak occurs when a new disease is identified among a given population, and during this period, substantially exceed beyond what is expected based on recent experience.
For instance, before 1997, it was reported that over 15,000 people suffered from cerebrospinal meningitis, which left the death toll within the period to about 240 victims daily; while about 1,390 patients were treated for cholera and thousands for measles.
It was also learnt that about 25 people were hospitalised in Kwara state as a result of cholera outbreak in July 2011; while no fewer than 194 people were confirmed infected by cholera in Jigawa state.
Also, from the international statistical accounts, a study conducted by the United States Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (2010) revealed that influenza spreads around the world in seasonal epidemics; resulting in seasonal epidemics and eventual death of between 250,000 and 500,000 people every year, while on the average, 41,400 people died each year in the United States between 1979 and 2001 from influenza.
Owing to several failed attempts tem the high rate endemic diseases in the country, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recently sought collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Nigerian Medical Associations (NMA) on the need to help in prevention of outbreaks as well as the provision of adequate and quick response to the victims through public health education and enlightenment particularly in the states and grassroots level throughout the six geo-political in the country.
Consequent upon that, NEMA has through its numerous enlightenment campaigns advised on the need for individuals to keep the environment clean. It also accentuated the importance of maintaining germ-free atmosphere as capable reducing widespread social related diseases.
For example, in the opinion of the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), it was resolved that since influenza spreads through both aerosols and contact with contaminated surfaces, sanitizing may help prevent some infections. In this case, hygiene would refer to the set of standard practices that prevent spread of disease-causing organism. A hygienic environment can be achieved individuals practice body hygiene, sleep hygiene, personal hygiene, mental hygiene, and dental hygiene in their daily life.
In manufacturing of food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics among others, there is a need for the regulatory body such as National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) that is in charge of the supervision to ensure that various goods produce for consumption strictly adhere to the microbial specification appropriate to their uses. This will not only help to prevent individuals from manufacturing related epidemics, but also ensure hygiene related practices in our industrial sector.
It would be recalled that the international journal of Hygiene and environmental Health has recorgnised three different types of hygiene for safety living; the body hygiene which includes constant cleanness for healthy living, optimal health, sense of well being, social acceptance, and prevention of spread of illness; while individual personal hygiene practices must comprise adequate medical checkup, regular washing, bathing, and healthy living. Thus, adequate consultation of the nearest medical centre for professional advice would be a vital step combating a disease outbreak.
Another method of enhancing pandemics, according to the medical practitioners across the world, is that an infected person be isolated to prevent contagious diseases from being spread among other patients, health care workers, and visitors.
They also encourage the use of quaternary ammonium compounds and bleach in hospitals so as to sanitize equipment that have been occupied by patient with influenza symptom; while at home this can be done effectively with a diluted chlorine bleach. This practice can help prevent spread of these diseases among others.
Therefore, stakeholders like NAFDAC and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) must partner to ensure conformity of the imported health paraphernalia as it relates to the ongoing economic globalization, which has largely given birth to the emergence of transatlantic diseases across Africa.
To be continued
