With floodwaters spreading across communities and waste piling up, epidemiologists say Lagos is at growing risk of a cholera outbreak and increased malaria transmission.
They explained that widespread flooding, as witnessed in recent weeks, and the existing challenge of poor waste management in Lagos create conditions that favour the spread of waterborne diseases.
The public health experts explained that floodwaters can contaminate drinking water sources with sewage and refuse, increasing exposure to Vibrio cholerae, responsible for cholera, and other disease-causing organisms.
They noted that indiscriminate waste disposal, blocked drainage systems, and poor sanitation further heighten the likelihood of disease transmission, particularly in densely populated communities.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that several communities in Lagos, including Agege, Alimosho, Apapa, Badagry, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki, and Surulere, were listed as a critical-risk category under locations likely to witness heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding by the Federal Government.
