The Labour Party in Lagos State has urged Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intensify efforts at controlling the spread of cholera , especially to schools.
The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mrs Olubunmi Odesanya, who made this plea in a statement on Friday in Lagos, said that the state government must work hard and give the epidemic the required emergency response.
Odesanya said: “Labour Party in Lagos State is calling to question the responsiveness of the state government to the current cholera epidemic in the state, the scourge is fast spiralling.
“LP Lagos State is upset that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu government has not accorded the problem the kind of response it should.
“So far ,the government has not done more than a mere issuance of advisory.
“Has the government looked into the remote and direct cause of the disease with a view to abate the spread of the dreaded disease?Time for action is now”,he said.
Odesanya said that the state must do everything possible to avoid needless deaths.
“The reported figure of deaths is over 40 and infection rate is about 400,” she said.
According to her, residents cannot afford an uncontrolled spread of the epidemic as they are already grappling with many socio-economic problems.
Odesanya added: “The Labour Party in Lagos State has continued to watch with amazement the less-than-warm attitude and disposition of the state government to the issue.
“To us in the Labour Party, it seems the state government does not appreciate the threats posed by the continued spread of the disease.
“Rather than tackle this very serious matter frontally by activating the heath systems to tame the scourge, the best the Sanwo-Olu -led government has been able to do is to issue an ineffectual advisory, which has not ,in anyway, curbed the spread of the scourge .”
She urged the state government to ensure provision of clean and potable water to residents as a way to stop the spread of the epidemic.
The LP spokesperson said that the state must also take steps to ensure the environment is clean and safe.
“The festivities just ended and our children are back to school. The fear of our hapless children contacting cholera is there”,she said.
Odesanya said that the Labour Party commiserated with families of those who had lost their loved ones to the epidemic.
She prayed for full recovery of patients down with cholera
The publicity secretary urged residents to also adhere to good health and sanitary precautions to stay safe.
