• Faleke wants disease treated with COVID-19 vigour
• No confirmed outbreak in Nasarawa, says commissioner
The World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday, donated pharmaceuticals to help treat and prevent the spread of a cholera outbreak at Kirikiri correctional centre in Lagos State.
This was as House of Representatives member for Ikeja Constituency, James Faleke, called on Nigerians to treat the outbreak of cholera in some parts of the country with the same level of seriousness they applied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nasarawa State said there is no confirmed case of cholera outbreak in the state.
Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, announced the additional support while providing an update on the outbreak in the state.
He said the state provided intravenous fluids, infection prevention supplies and other health consumables to Kirikiri Medium Prison.
“Additionally, WHO has donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals, which have been delivered to the correctional centre to support health facilities with prevention strategies for about 3,200 inmates, if required.
“Immediate water and sanitation issues have been corrected, and there are ongoing inspections of other correctional facilities in the state,” he said.
Abayomi had said the outbreak in Lagos was traced to unregulated street beverages and contaminated water.
FALEKE made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) recently reported that 53 deaths due to cholera had been recorded in the country.
Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, stated that the Federal Government had activated the National Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for cholera.
Idris said, “As of June 24, 2024, 1,528 suspected cases and 53 deaths were recorded across 31 states and 107 local councils, with a case fatality rate of 3.5 per cent since the beginning of the year.”
Faleke urged Nigerians to do more to curb the outbreak.
He said, “Every Nigerian needs to be careful; our attitude to cleanliness matters. The way we took COVID-19 seriously is the way we should take this cholera outbreak.
“Cholera has killed many people. We expected that. In this modern age, we should not be experiencing an outbreak of cholera in Nigeria.
“However, it has come; so, we have to deal with it. People should be more careful with what they eat and drink. There are many fake products out there. Stop consuming fake products. You do not have to drink just anything; take clean water.”
NASARAWA Commissioner for Health, Dr Gaza Gwamna, at a press briefing in Akwanga Local Council, yesterday, said 29 suspected cases of cholera were recorded in two of the 13 local councils of the state.
The commissioner revealed that 19 suspected cases were recorded in Kokona and 10 in Nassarawa-Eggon councils, with one mortality case recorded.
“The cases at the moment are still suspected and even the person that died in Nassarawa-Eggon was not confirmed, but a suspected case before his death,” he added.
He explained that the outbreak normally happens around this time of the year because of heavy downpour that leads to contamination of water sources.
Gwamna further explained that the governor approved the upgrading of four Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to general hospitals for improved services.
He listed the PHCs to include PHC Assakyo in Lafia, Gudi in Akwanga, New Karu in Karu and Azara in Awe.
Source: guardian.ng
