Sachet Water Causes Cholera - Pharmaceutical Society Of Nigeria

PHARMACEUTICAL Society of Nigeria (PSN) has attributed the increasing cases of cholera epidemic in many parts of Nigeria to consumption of sachet water, popularly called pure water, by most Nigerians.

Speaking at a press conference on the 86th National Conference of PSN, themed “Harmony 2013,” in Ilorin, on Thursday, the state chairman of the association, Chief Abdulmojeed Oderinde, said cholera was caused by lack of access to potable water, among other factors.

The PSN chairman, who called on elected office holders in three tiers of government to intensify efforts at providing potable water, added that people were not supposed to consume sachet water, which he said, was mostly unhygienic, if there was access to potable water by people.

Oderinde, who ranked access to potable water higher than food consumption, also identified other causes of cholera to include poverty, overpopulation and sickening or unhygienic environment.

The Kwara State PSN chairman also condemned salary disparity among health workers in the state, saying a situation whereby a medical doctor earns N180,000 monthly while a pharmacist gets N45,000 was discouraging.

He said out of a total 150 pharmacists in the state, only a few were employed by the state’s health sector, stressing that the development had led many qualified pharmacists to migrate and practise in neighbouring states.

He also said out of 16,000 pharmacists in the country, 5,000 practicse outside Nigeria, adding that an average of one pharmacist was available to about 10,000 people.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/25292-sachet-water-causes-cholera-—psn.html