Our reporter Medical experts have underscored the importance of adopting precautionary measures as the 37 permanent camps of the National Youth Service Corps open across the country to thousands of prospective corps members for their three-week-long orientation exercise from June 26, 2024. According to them, poor sanitary conditions, lack of access to clean water, and cleaning supplies can predispose them to a cholera outbreak. The experts say such camps sometimes suffer from sanitation and hygiene issues, consequently, illnesses and diseases can easily spread.
A professor of Public Health at the University of Ilorin and Consultant Public Health physician at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Kwara State, Kayode Osagbemi, urged the NYSC authorities to ensure the camps are clean and suitable for stay before prospective corps members resume. He said this is the best time to provide a clean water supply and environmental sanitation to prevent the outbreak of cholera or other diseases. Osagbemi stated, “We don’t need to wait until they start having the infection before we start treating because prevention is easier, better, and cheaper than treatment.
We would not recommend that people should not go to camps because of cholera, the important thing is to observe the preventive measures. “There are some camps that have pipe-borne water and boreholes with safe and clean water, but there are some that water tankers supply them water, so much water should be treated bef.
