Lagos State has received new emergency medical supplies from the Japanese government to strengthen its readiness against cholera. Health officials say the support will improve response capacity and help prevent a repeat of the serious outbreak that hit the state in 2024.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, described the support as both critical and well-timed, noting that the supplies will help health workers manage cholera and other diarrheic infections more effectively.
Health officials say investigations during the previous outbreak linked most infections to unsafe food, contaminated water, and poor sanitation. To address this, the state has stepped up training programmes for food handlers, water suppliers, and sanitation workers, particularly in flood-prone communities where the risk of disease spread is higher.
The Lagos government also acknowledged Japan’s continued partnership in strengthening emergency preparedness, including previous initiatives that helped improve response capacity among informal sector workers.
Speaking on the donation, Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, said the move reflects his country’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in preventing avoidable deaths from cholera.
He explained that Japan is currently funding multiple health projects in Nigeria worth more than 1.7 million dollars, in partnership with international organisations, to improve disease response, provide essential supplies, and strengthen prevention efforts.
According to him, lessons from Japan’s own experience with cholera outbreaks in the past have shown that proper hygiene, early detection, and prompt isolation are key to saving lives.
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