By Uche Onyeali
As Nigerians continue to be threatened by tge outbreak of cholera in some parts of the country, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Executive Council, FEC, to set up a committee to oversee the cholera emergency operation centre operated by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC.
This was disclosed yesterday by the Minister of Health, Dr Ali Pate, while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the council meeting presided over by the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Dr Pate also disclosed that the committee would comprise members from the Federal Ministries of Health, Finance, Water Resources, Environment, Youth, Aviation and Education.
The minister added that the committee’s effort is in addition to state governments support to ensure progress in reducing open defecation.
“The council then approved a cabinet committee comprising the federal ministries of health, finance, water resources, environment, youth, aviation, and education because some of our children will be returning to school.
“In addition to this, state governments will be co-opted so that Nigeria makes progress in reducing open defecation because cholera is a developmental issue that requires a multi-sectoral approach.
“The president directed that a cabinet committee be set up to oversee what the emergency operation centre led by NCDC is doing and for resources to be provided, complemented by state governments,” the minister said.
He added that at the moment, 31 states had recorded 1,528 cases with 53 deaths.
“At the moment, about 31 states have recorded 1,528 cases with 53 deaths that is what we are working on through the emergency operation centre that was activated by NCDC on Monday.
“Now we have cholera outbreak and we discussed it extensively in addition to the new emergence of yellow fever specifically in Bayelsa State.
“On cholera, we are in the middle of the seventh pandemic globally. In 2022, the world had almost 500,000 cases of cholera so it is not peculiar to Nigeria. In 2023, almost 700,000 cases of cholera were reported by the World Health Organisation, WHO. This year, more than 200,000 cases have occurred in five regions,” he added.
Pate also emphasised that a multi-sectoral approach is required to tackle the outbreak.
