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Niger State is still grappling with cholera outbreaks, with 27 patients currently on admission across four local government areas, despite having discharged over 327 patients.
Recall that the state government had earlier claimed a containmnet of the disease with over 327 patients treated and discharged with about 10 still on admission.
According to Uriah Mahmudu, Deputy State Disease Surveillance Officer, UNICEF, new cases have been reported in Chanchaga, Shiroro, Munya, and Wushishi local government areas.
Mahmudu who stated this when delivering another round of cholera response supplies to the state to assist in breaking the transmission chain in Minna said, currently, 10 patients are on admission at the CTC in Kuta in Shiroro, 8 in Wushishi, 7 in Chanchaga, and 2 in Kabula in Munya LGs
He assured that the supplies would be judiciously used by ensuring that patients receive treatment and go home with hygiene packages while communities with suspected or confirmed cases will also be given the items to prevent further spread.
Presenting the items on behalf of the UNICEF, the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist at the Kaduna Field office, Theresa Pamma, who led the team to the state ministry of Health explained that the intervention is important as the state continues to record fresh cases of cholera
She also warned that Niger State has 46 per cent open defecation rate while the consumption of unsafe water remains the major driver of cholera.
The WASH Specialist disclosed after she officially handed over to the Niger State Ministry of Health, basic water and sanitation kits, drugs, cholera treatment kits, water purification tablets, and community hygiene materials.
Pamma said, “we are here to support Niger State with essential drugs and sanitation kits to break the transmission of cholera. Our supplies include community kits, water purification tablets, glucose drips, and 350 cartons of cholera kits. We are also expecting 10 drums of chlorine to further support water treatment.
“Cholera happens when human excreta contaminates drinking water or food. People are still drinking from unprotected wells and rivers, and water vendors sell water from unknown sources.”
” If every household in Niger State can have a toilet, cholera will not come. All the excreta will go into the toilet, and it won’t contaminate water sources. We call on the government to ensure every household is provided with toilets. If this is done, it will go a long way in reducing the spread of cholera.”
She also called on residents to prioritise household toilets, hand washing, and water treatment to reduce the spread of the disease.
Items donated earlier include, community and periphery AWD kits, Cholera kits, 40 cholera beds, ringers lactate, normal saline with giving sets, antibiotics, scrubs, disposal gowns, heavy duty and surgical hand gloves, boots.
Others are, water purification tabs. Chlorine solutions, calcium hypochlorite, water testing and stool testing RDTs which according to Dr. Idris Baba UNICEF Health Specialist, Kaduna Field Office are enough to treat all cases currently identified and admitted in the state.
Cholera Outbreak: Niger records 27 new cases despite containment efforts
