Groups says political will needed for cholera prevention, control
Cholera
By Tosin Kolade
Sokoto, Feb. 4, 2019 (NAN) The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergency Working Group on Monday called for political will and strengthened collaboration from all stakeholders to reduce outbreak of cholera in the country.
Mr Baba Galadima, Team Leader of the Group, while on a Cholera Assessment and Monitoring visit to Sokoto, said that it was a matter for regret that no fewer than 20 states recorded cholera cases and deaths in the last three years.
According to him, a report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control shows no fewer than 44,201 suspected cases with more than 836 deaths have so far been reported from 204 LGAs in 20 states.
The states are Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Borno, Ebonyi, FCT, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara, Kwara and Jigawa in the year 2018.
Others are Bauchi, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Kano and Sokoto, recording the highest number of cases of 9405, 8331, 7400, 7620, 2748, 1905, 2275 and 1609 respectively.
He said that Nigeria “is highly endemic for cholera with cases being reported perennially,`’ saying that ín spite of considerable efforts invested in controlling the disease, the country continued to record high incidence of cases in recent times.
He said that such cases were rampant in the North West, North East and the North Central states, stressing that this had prompted the call for a revision of strategies and the shift to a multi-sectoral and long term planning and interventions.
“There is an increasing global support and supply of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV), now is the time to accelerate sustainable action against cholera elimination in our communities.
“Ending cholera is not only an incredible opportunity; it is a moral obligation and a critical step toward achieving the Sustainable Development goals.’’
Galadima said that there was the need for Nigeria to implement evidence-based cholera control and elimination plans to reduce cholera deaths by 90 per cent and as a threat to public health by 2030.
He said that for an effective cholera prevention and control, there was need to implement integrated and comprehensive approaches that involved activities both inside and outside of the health sector.
“Such approaches involves enhanced epidemiological and laboratory surveillance to identify endemic areas and detect, confirm, and quickly respond to outbreaks.
“Universal use of safe water and basic sanitation, community engagement for behavioural changes and improved hygiene practices.’’
He said that quick access to treatment Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) would successfully treat most cases, and protect persons with access to safe and effective OCV.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the WASH in Emergency Working Group was established in 2012 when the country experienced devastating flood that affected 85milion people from 14 states.
The group has since remained active, especially in the North-East where IDPs exist and have responded immediately on outbreaks.
The group membership cuts across WASH sector players from Institutions, Development Partners, International and Local NGOs, CSOs responding to WASH issues in the North East with UNICEF as its co-lead. (NAN)
TAK/GY
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Edited by Grace Yussuf