By Our Correspondent in Minna.
(C) WebMD
Niger State Government has announced that no fewer than 320 victims of the recent cholera outbreak across 16 of the state’s 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, with fewer than ten patients still receiving treatment.
Contrary to widespread speculation about rising fatalities, the state confirmed only one additional death, bringing the total number of casualties to 14 since the outbreak began.
The Commissioner for Primary Health Care (PHC), Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, made this known during a live radio programme, Media Chat, organized by the Ministry of Information and Strategy and monitored by our correspondent in Minna.
Dr. Dangana revealed that alongside free treatment for affected persons, mainly children,over 14,000 households had received water treatment kits to help curb further spread of the disease.
“We recorded a total of 14 deaths so far; of the 327 patients hospitalised, virtually all have been discharged, with less than ten still admitted across the 16 affected LGAs,” he said.
To tackle the outbreak, the government activated the State Inter-Sectoral Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Response, Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs), and Disease Surveillance Systems across all 274 wards and communities in the state,he said.
“We identified isolation centres and established Cholera Treatment Units (CTUs) in all 25 LGAs. These measures were critical in curbing the spread,” Dr. Dangana added.
He also noted that the Ministry of Primary Health Care, supported by various MDAs and partners like UNICEF, intensified sensitization campaigns, reaching over 16,000 school children, and engaging markets, religious centres, and traditional institutions to promote hygienic practices.
Also speaking, Dr. Idris Baba, Health Specialist at UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, assured that the water treatment supplies provided are sufficient for all currently admitted cases.
He listed distributed materials as including cholera and acute watery diarrhea (AWD) kits, 40 cholera beds, Ringer’s lactate and normal saline with giving sets, antibiotics, scrubs, disposable gowns, gloves, boots, chlorine solutions, and water/stool testing equipment.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hajiya Binta Mamman, noted that the Ministry acted swiftly by launching the Media Chat and other sensitization efforts in response to the outbreak, ensuring timely dissemination of accurate information and preventive measures.
She reiterated the commitment of the state government to sustain health education, clean water access, and emergency readiness to prevent future outbreaks.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
