Cholera outbreak kills four, 38 infected in Nasarawa

Fresh cholera outbreak has claimed no fewer than four lives and 38 others infected by the diseased in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
A statement signed by Public Relations Officer, state Ministry of Health, Mr. Musa Abdullahi and made available to The PUNCH in Lafia, said that cholera outbreak was experienced in Shege Ward in Toto LGA where 38 cases were confirmed and four died before reaching the primary health care facility.
According to him, some of the affected victims are currently stable and the patients are responding to treatment, stating that a team of health experts from the state ministry of health have donated drugs to the Shege community, while efforts are ongoing to contain the spread of the disease.
The state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Daniel Iya, who was represented by state Director of Public Health, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu-Alhassan, donated the drugs to the community, adding that the donation of the drug was part of the state government’s intervention to avert further escalation of the disease across the state.
Dr. Alhassan, who led a rapid response and investigation team from the ministry of health to the community, affirmed that the team was in Shege Ward to prevent further escalation of the disease to other parts of the communities and to treat those that were infected.
He, however, maintained that part of the team’s assignment was to support the community health workers in the area to improve on their skills and to sensitise them to respond to any new infection.
The PRO, Musa Abdullahi, of the state ministry of health, tasked the community
health workers to intensify surveillance activities and to provide information on sanitation, personal hygiene and healthy food preparation practices.
The team leader — Dr. Alhassan — admonished all the community members to observe personal and family hygiene such as proper and regular hand washing, appropriate
disposal of sewage and other waste, boiling and treating water before drinking, among others.
Reacting to the incident, the Interim Management Committee Chairman of Toto LGA, Mr. Adamu Dauda-Nuhu; and village head of Shege, Alkali Adunga, commended Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura for his quick response to the predicament of their people.
He, however, called on the government to provide a motorised borehole in order to curb the spread of water-borne diseases, saying the lack of potable water posed a great
challenge to the community.