Dr Vincent Okpala, the Commissioner for Health in Anambra, has called on people living around the flood prone areas to put to use the teachings impacted to them on flood-related health challenges.
Okpala told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that information on how to manage flood and its ills had been passed to residents of the affected areas.
He said on Friday in Awka that the ministry had embarked on sensitisation and engagement campaign on early flood warnings and preparatory actions against any health challenges.
“We targeted flood prone areas, because of possible health challenges like outbreak of yellow fever, cholera, malaria, among others,” he said.
Okpala said that doctors, pharmacists and other health workers were engaged in the exercise to ensure that information on how to manage health challenges when they happen were achieved.
He said that the teachings on flood and flood-related illnesses including cholera, malaria and yellow fever and how to prevent or attend to them, was part of the information shared among the people.
“Community members of reasonable ages including children, youth, men and women of adult ages who are major hope of implementers of the teachings, were beneficiaries of the teachings,’’ the commissioner said.
He said that Anambra East, Anambra West, Awka North, Ihiala, Idemili South, Ayamelum, Ogbarua, and Ekwusiego were identified as flood prone communities in the state.
The commissioner said that their safety remain high in the ministry’s programme.
Okpala commended Gov. Willie Obiano for his efforts during the last flood and continued commitment in ensuring that flood prone areas were secured at all times.
He said the ministry was ready to handle any flood-related health emergencies as health officers were well taught on surveillance, early case detection and investigation of any reported outbreaks.
The commissioner said health issues like cholera and other epidemic prone diseases, including yellow fever and malaria, if reported early would be handled with ease.
He said that immunisation and free tests were also conducted as well as free distribution of drugs to community members.
Okpala reassures the community of the ministry’s readiness to handle any issue.
