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The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Jide Idris, has said a total of 2,102 suspected cholera cases and 63 deaths have been recorded across 33 states and 122 local government areas in the country.
Idris stated this in Abuja, on Tuesday, while giving an update on the campaign against the cholera outbreak as the National Youth Service Corps introduced strict camp guidelines with the commencement of the 2024 Batch B Stream ‘I’ orientation course.
The orientation course runs for 21 days, equipping, and training the eligible participants of the one-year mandatory service.
To ensure a successful programme, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Yushau Ahmed, has issued strict instructions to camp coordinators and officials to prevent the outbreak of cholera in orientation camps nationwide.
Cholera, a highly contagious food and waterborne disease, is caused by the ingestion of the organism, Vibrio Cholerae, in contaminated water and food.
Nigeria is experiencing a significant cholera outbreak, with the cases increasing from over 1,579 suspected cases and 54 deaths in 32 states to 2,102 cases and 63 deaths in 33 states within one week.
The outbreak has notably affected Lagos, Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, and Nasarawa.
The primary cause has been linked to the consumption of contaminated water and inadequate sanitation, exacerbated by the onset of the rainy season, which often leads to increased cholera cases due to flooding and compromised water sources.
Briefing journalists on the measures deployed against the outbreak, Idris put the case fatality rate at 3.0 per cent.
He said seven of the top 10 states of Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Rivers and Delta, which contributed about 90 per cent of the cases were southern states.
The NCDC boss noted, “As of 30th June 2024, a total of 2,102 suspected cases and 63 deaths have been recorded across 33 states and 122 LGAs with a case fatality rate of 3.0 per cent since the beginning of the year.
“Of the top 10 states (Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Rivers and Delta) that contribute about 90 per cent of the cases, seven of them are Southern states.’’
According to Idris, the National Cholera Multi-sectoral Emergency Operation Centre which has been activated parades an array of subject matter experts and provides strategic coordination, meets daily and provides periodic situation reports for stakeholders.
This also ensures effective mobilisation, harmonisation and distribution of resources to support the affected states. This is done through the relevant thematic areas of response that cover coordination, surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, water sanitation and hygiene, vaccination, logistics, and research with a cost-incidence action plan for the response developed and being implemented.
“These will help facilitate rapid communication, data analysis, and decision-making. It will also ensure that we deploy resources efficiently, strengthen surveillance and diagnostic capacity, enhance treatment of affected persons, and intensify public awareness and community engagement activities,” he stated.
Before the activation of the EOC, Idris, a former permanent secretary and commissioner of health in Lagos State, disclosed that the NCDC, through the National Cholera Technical Working Group, had conducted an assessment of cholera readiness and preparedness capacity in 22 hotspots and high-burden states and shared a report of gaps with the states to guide their preparedness activities before the outbreak.
He also said the group was helping with the “provision of relevant guidelines, standard operating procedures, and advisories to states, with a view of guiding their technical readiness and how to respond to the outbreak; prepositioning and distribution of medical supplies for case management.
It is also assisting with infection prevention and control, and laboratory diagnosis, among others, to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory
