· FCT yet to issue health advisory
By Sarah NEGEDU
Fears have heighted over the spread of cholera following fresh outbreak in the country owing to Sallah festivities without caution.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, had last week warned that the outbreak has spread to 30 states, over 96 local governments with over 30 fatalities with Lagos state accounting for most of the deaths.
Cholera is a highly contagious bacterial infection caused by ingesting contaminated food or water. The bacteria, Vibrio cholerae, thrive in environments where sanitation is poor, and clean drinking water is scarce.
Symptoms of cholera include severe diarrhoea, vomiting, and rapid dehydration, which can lead to death if not treated promptly.
The centre stated that from January 1 to June 11, 2024, over 1,141 suspected and over 65 confirmed cases of cholera, resulting in over 30 deaths, had been reported from 96 LGAs in 30 states.
It noted that the 10 states contributing 90 per cent to the burden of cholera include Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, Nasarawa, and Lagos states.
A 2022 data by the World Health Organisation, WHO, shows that there were 473,000 cholera cases and over 700,000 was estimated in 2023.
Latest data from the WHO shows that a cumulative total of 145,900 cholera cases and 1,766 deaths were reported from 24 countries across five WHO regions, with Africa recording the highest numbers, followed by the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the Region of the Americas, the South-East Asia Region, and the European Region.
The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, Dr Dele Abdullahi, was quoted by The Punch as stating that the surge in holiday season travel could lead to an increase in cholera cases.
Abdullahi said, “Cholera is a bacterial infection, so there is a possibility of it spreading to other states during the festive season.
“Because of the Sallah celebration, a lot of migration is going to occur. People will move from one place to the other, and many of them, possibly in the incubation period, will change location. The key here is for our healthcare facilities to maintain a high index of suspicion when they encounter any cases of vomiting and diarrhoea.
“I am confident that the outbreak will not spoil the Sallah celebrations.”
To curb the spread, the NARD President stressed the need to maintain optimal and high standards of hygiene.
“We need a high index of suspicion. Whenever we encounter patients with vomiting, we must quickly take them to health facilities. It is better to arrive there and find out that it’s just food poisoning than to be uncertain about the health condition we’re dealing with.
“People should also avoid self-medication and refrain from using unorthodox methods to manage their health issues at home. All these measures will help in curbing the spread of the disease,” he said.
The newspaper also quoted a former Chairman of the Association of Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Dr Tunji Akintade, as saying that, “If someone with the disease travels without taking care of themselves and defecates in an open place, their faeces could contaminate water sources and infect others. Thus, there is a possibility of the disease spreading due to its transmission through water and poor hygiene.”
Akintade further emphasised that individuals who maintained good personal and environmental hygiene and were mindful of what and where they ate were less likely to be infected.
“If I live in the same house with someone who has cholera but we’re not eating the same things, and I’m careful about what I consume, I may not contract it. Therefore, when people travel, it’s crucial to advise them against drinking water from areas where cases have been reported.
“People need to maintain good hygiene, wash their hands after using the toilet, and ensure their surroundings are clean,” he concluded.
The FCT is one of states that was hit by the disease in successive years and there are fears that without adequate response by the administration, the territory could be badly impacted.
As at the time of going to press, the FCT administration was yet to issue an advisory or unveil any plan to contain the outbreak.
Previously, the Health Services and Environment Secretariat takes the lead in such effort. When this newspaper contacted the PRO of the secretariat, Badaru Yakasai, he declined to comment and referred us to the director, public health, Dr. Doris John, who did not answer her calls or responded to messages sent to her known mobile number.
