Residents, food vendors and water suppliers in Ikosi–Isheri LCDA have received fresh training on cholera prevention as LASEPA, UNIDO and the Government of Japan scale up their grassroots public health campaign across Lagos State.
The initiative, implemented under Project 240236 titled “Emergency Capacity Building of Informal Food and Water Vendors and Waste Workers in Flood-Affected Lagos to Combat Cholera Outbreaks,” targets high-risk informal sector operators whose activities directly influence public health outcomes.
Held at the Ikosi–Isheri LCDA Multipurpose Hall in Ketu, the sensitisation programme drew community members, students, food handlers, water vendors and waste workers. It is the latest in a series of engagements already conducted in Ikorodu, Alimosho, Ojo, Yaba and Lagos Island.
Speaking at the event, the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, described the campaign as “a call to action,” noting that although cholera is preventable, it continues to pose a significant threat in densely populated areas. Represented by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Environmental Protection Matters, Ms. Adebowale Tolulope, he emphasised that “environmental health is inseparable from public health.”
Ajayi said the programme aims to equip residents with life-saving practices such as regular handwashing, drinking safe water, keeping clean surroundings and reporting symptoms early. He encouraged participants to serve as hygiene ambassadors within their communities, stressing that “these small actions, when taken consistently, can save lives.”
Delivering a technical presentation, the Director of Sanitation at the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Dr. Hassan Sanuth—represented by Mrs. Falaye Aderemi—highlighted that cholera remains a preventable food and water-borne disease linked largely to environmental contamination.
He noted that Lagos faces unique sanitation challenges as a coastal state and added that the government is converting dumpsites into material recovery centres to improve waste management and mitigate flooding.
UNIDO Field Coordinator, Mr. Charles Uzoma, commended Lagos State for its proactive approach and acknowledged the Government of Japan for funding the year-long intervention. He described the initiative as timely and strategic, saying it strengthens resilience among informal workers who are often the first point of contact in food and water distribution.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director of Environmental Sustainability at LASEPA, Mrs. Adedayo Adebayo, praised international partners for their sustained collaboration and reaffirmed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a clean, safe and healthy environment through community-based interventions and multi-sector partnerships.
The sensitisation programme was attended by representatives from government agencies, private organisations and community groups.
