The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has activated its Cholera Emergency Operations Centre as part of its proactive measures to address the rising number of cholera cases across Nigeria.
This step was announced by the FCT Public Health Department, which emphasized the growing risks posed by the disease, particularly in an expanding city like Abuja. Dr. Baba Gana Adam, Permanent Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, highlighted that the activation was necessary given the increasing number of cholera cases across the country.
The FCT Public Health Department has been mapping high-risk areas, identifying stakeholders, and deploying resources to prevent and contain the spread of the disease. Public education campaigns, healthcare worker training, and community engagement form the core of the region’s response plan. The Acting Director of the FCT Public Health Department, Dan Gadzama, disclosed that 32 suspected cholera cases have been recorded in the FCT, with three laboratory-confirmed and eight confirmed via rapid diagnostic tests.
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Efforts are also underway to ensure collaboration with key partners, including the World Health Organisation, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, and the FCT Primary Health Care Board, to control the outbreak. Dr. Lawal Ademola, the FCT State Epidemiologist, stressed the importance of improving access to clean water, sanitation, and food hygiene as critical to reducing the spread of cholera.
As of mid-October 2024, cholera cases in Nigeria have reached 14,237, with 378 deaths, leading to a case-fatality rate of 2.7%. The FCT has ramped up efforts to prevent further loss of life and ensure rapid response to any new cases.
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.
Cholera is an extremely virulent disease transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water (2). Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.
Most people infected with V. cholerae do not develop any symptoms, although the bacteria are present in their faeces for 1–10 days after infection and are shed back into the environment, potentially infecting other people.
Among people who develop symptoms, the majority have mild or moderate symptoms. It takes between 12 hours and 5 days for a person to show symptoms. A minority of patients develop acute watery diarrhoea with severe dehydration. This can lead to death if left untreated.
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