By Correspondent in Minna.
Cholera cases in Niger State have risen to 279 across six local government areas (LGAs) as of Thursday, prompting urgent intervention from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which has pledged the donation of essential supplies to contain the outbreak.
UNICEF’s Kaduna Field Office Chief, Dr. Gerida Birukila, revealed the development during a visit to the cholera isolation centre at the old Senator Idris Ibrahim Kuta Primary Health Care (PHC) facility in Minna.
She noted that while the centre has long existed, it is now being upgraded by UNICEF to meet the demands of cholera treatment.
Dr. Birukila stated that UNICEF is working closely with the Niger State Government and key partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO) to halt the spread of the disease.
“As of today (Thursday), records show that most of the deaths are children, and they also represent a significant proportion of the 279 suspected cases,” she said.
Providing further insight, UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr. Sule Mele, said the outbreak was first detected two weeks ago within Minna metropolis ,particularly in Chanchaga and Bosso LGAs, adding that it has extended to four additional LGAs.
He confirmed that over 200 suspected cases have been identified, with rapid diagnostic tests returning about 50 percent positivity.
“To manage this situation, UNICEF has begun sensitizing communities and is supporting the setup of cholera treatment units in affected areas.
“We cannot bring all suspected cases to one location, so we are pre-positioning supplies in the field to decentralize response efforts,”Dr. Mele added.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Health at Niger State’s Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Ibrahim Idris, praised UNICEF’s swift action and disclosed that the state government has established multiple isolation and treatment centres and intensifying public education to prevent further spread.
Edited by Dada Ahmed
