By Chioma Iruke
Residents of Nigeria’s Capital city Abuja have been assured of effective measures to curtail the spread of Cholera outbreak in the city.
This was even as the Federal Capital Territory Administration noted that over 500 suspected cases have been recorded in the territory.
Abubakar Sani, spokesman to the FCT Minister, Mohammad Bello, stated this in a statement in Abuja.
Mr Sani explained that as of Thursday, the FCT had recorded 514 suspected cases, out of which eight laboratory investigations were confirmed to be cholera.
He said that the FCT Administration was working very closely with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency on interventions to end the scourge of the disease in the territory.
“Some of the measures already taken from early May 2021 when we started having the diarrheal disease in the FCT includes.
“Formation of Cholera Emergency Operation Centres and appointment of an Incidence Manager and other relevant medical personnel along with Stakeholders from the FCT Water Board, Abuja Environmental Protection Board and Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA).
“Prepositioning of Drugs and Consumables for the free treatment of all identified cases in both Secondary and Primary Care Facilities of the FCT,” he said.
He said that FCTA has been providing free portable water through water tankers from the FCT Water Board to all affected communities.
Mr Sani also said that the administration had embarked on the training and sensitisation of Health Care Providers in both Secondary and Primary Healthcare facilities including some private ones.
He added that all communities that recorded the outbreak of cholera are being visited and monitored by relevant medical personnel and other stakeholders.
“Also, the FCTA has ensured the sensitisation of the public through the media on all issues concerning the cholera outbreak and preventive measures.
“Similarly, the FCTA held high level engagement with all the six area councils chairman, religious and traditional leaders in all the councils.
“Meanwhile continuous surveillance on communities with suspected cases are being conducted in all the communities in the six area councils of the FCT to confirm the prevalence of the disease.”
