Cholera Cases Rises To 698 Within 72 Hours In Nigeria’s Capital

60 persons have so far died of the Cholera outbreak which hit Nigeria’s Capital city of Abuja about two months ago.

This is even as suspected cases within the Territory has risen from 604 to 698 within 72 hours.

The Minister of State for FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, disclosed this during the continuation of community sensitization against cholera and other severe acute diseases outbreak at Pyakasa and Gwagwa communities in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

The minister who was represented by the Acting Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr Iwot Ndaeyo, stated that Abaji Area council records three suspected cases, no death, AMAC records 281 suspected cases with 22 deaths, while Bwari Area Council records 134 suspected cases with 22 deaths.

Also, Gwagwalada area council records 220 suspected cases with nine deaths, Kuje area council records 23 suspected cases with four deaths and Kwali area council records 37 suspected cases with three deaths.

Aliyu, however, vowed that this ugly trend was unacceptable in the FCT, adding that the administration would not fold its hands and watch residents die helplessly over preventable diseases.

According to her, “We must take every necessary steps to curb further spread”, just as she urged FCT residents and critical stakeholders to publicize the message of cholera disease prevention, proper sanitation with practice of hand hygiene in their respective communities.

In his remarks, AMAC Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido, affirmed the commitment of his council to forestall continuous spread of the disease to adjoining and other communities.

He added that the Primary Health Care Department of the council had embarked on sensitization tour to all the four chiefdoms in AMAC so as to enlighten the traditional rulers and their councils about the cholera outbreak and preventive measures.

His words: “On our part as an area council, we swung into action immediately we received the news of the outbreak and its confirmation in June. We quickly mobilized our health personnel in all our primary healthcare facilities for prompt responses. Following the recommendations from the outbreak report, we provided funds for quick purchase of drugs, infusions and other treatment materials/consumables in addition to the ones we received from the FCT Public Health Department.

“The Disease Control Unit of our Primary Health Care Department through Disease Surveillance Notification Officers have been working tirelessly in different communities of the council including hard-to-reach fields in order to trace and report cases at the primary healthcare facilities for free treatment”.

Candido, therefore, commended the professional competence, commitment and zeal of the council’s health workers and the Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCTA in combating this life threatening disease.