By Blessing Otobong-gabriel
Cholera outbreak has continued to worsen, just as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, confirmed that the disease has spread to 33 states with 63 deaths recorded in the past few weeks.
Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, made this known at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Idris said 10 states, namely Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Rivers and Delta, account for about 90 percent of the cases recorded so far.
He highlighted the obvious increment in the cases compared to the previous report released by NCDC on June 24 which indicated that the epidemic was restricted to 31 states and 107 local government areas with 54 deaths.
He said the National Cholera Multisectoral Emergency Operation Centre, EOC, has activated and engaged some experts to provide strategic coordination and also meet daily to provide periodic situation report for stakeholders.
“This has ensured effective mobilisation, harmonisation and distribution of resources to support the affected states and they are done through the relevant thematic areas of response that cover coordination, surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, water sanitation and hygiene, vaccination, logistics and research with an Incidence Action Plan, IAP, for the response developed and being implemented.
“Prior to the activation of EOC, NCDC, through the National Cholera Technical Working Group, had conducted the assessment of cholera readiness and preparedness capacity in 22 hotspots and high-burden states, and reported the gaps identified to the states to guide their preparedness activities before the outbreak.
He called on stakeholders, notably government agencies, subnational level actors, partners, civil society organisations, healthcare professionals, community leaders and every citizen to redouble their efforts to contain the spread and prevent further loss of lives.
