The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has activated its emergency center as the death toll in the recent outbreak of the cholera reached 53 nationwide.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Jide Idris, NCDC director-general, DG, said 1,528 suspected cases and 53 deaths have been recorded across 31 states and 107 LGAs as of June 24.
“These fatalities are not just statistics but a significant loss of a loved family member, a spouse, a parent, and often a seasoned healthcare worker and team member.
“This situation will be compounded as the rainy season intensifies,” the NCDC DG said.
Idris said in response to the rapidly increasing cholera cases, a risk assessment was conducted by experts on the situation last week.
He said the experts were drawn from the relevant ministries, departments, agencies, stakeholders, and major partners.
“The outcome of the risk assessment placed the country at high risk of increased cholera transmission and impact,” he said.
“This demands our immediate and coordinated actions and therefore necessitated the activation of the national cholera multi-sectoral emergency operations center, EOC, in Nigeria today.
“The decision to activate the cholera EOC underscores the gravity of the situation and our unwavering commitment to protect the health and well-being of every Nigerian.
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“The EOC will serve as the nerve center for the coordination of response across the country, it will also support affected states, facilitate rapid communication, data analysis, and decision-making processes, mobilize resources, expertise, and support from across the NCDC, our partners, and stakeholders at all levels of government.
“It will ensure efficient deployment of needed resources, strengthen surveillance and diagnostic capacity and capabilities, enhance case management and training, and intensify public awareness and community engagement activities.
“To effectively do this, an incident manager has also been appointed, who will coordinate the day-to-day activities involving several pillars such as surveillance (data collection, analysis, and dissemination), case management, oral cholera vaccine issues, coordination, infection prevention and control, logistics support, and research,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government said one person had died and 25 cases of the disease were confirmed in the area.
The casualty is from Ijebu North local government of the state. According to the Ogun State Health Commissioner Tomi Coker who gave the figure in Abeokuta, on Monday, free surveillance and emergency treatment have been activated in all 20 local government areas of the state.
Coker identified Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Obafemi/ Owode, Ijebu North, Ado, and Odo/ OTA local government areas as the most hit by the disease.
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