Oyo State Gover nor, Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated a Cholera Technical Working Group (CTWG) as part of proactive measures taken against a potential cholera outbreak in the state. The state government through the Ministry of Health set up the group with a mandate to coordinate a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach in preventing, detecting and responding to any case of the epidemic within the state.

While inaugurating the committee at the Oyo State Public Health Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) in Ibadan, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, said the highly contagious food and waterborne disease remain a significant public health threat in Nigeria.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Public Health in the ministry, Dr Akintunde Babatunde, said although Oyo State recently had seven suspected cases, that no case of cholera has been confirmed. She said the threat of cholera outbreak in some neighbouring states has mandated Oyo State to put proactive measures in place.