Maiduguri records 2 cholera cases, says Commissioner

Borno Government has confirmed two cases of cholera in one of the camps harbouring people displaced by flood in Maiduguri.

The State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Baba Malum Gana, made this known on Monday while flagging-off an Oral Cholera, Measles Vaccination and Vitamin A supplementation in Maiduguri.

The programme was organised by Borno Government in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“With this flooding, we have four suspected cases which were confirmed on Rapid Diagnosis Test.

“The samples were sent to the National Reference Laboratory, where two cases were confirmed as positive.

“The patients have already been discharged and we have taken measures against cholera from the onset of the flood,” Gana said.

He noted that another suspected four cases had been sent to the laboratory for confirmation.

According to him, the affected camp has undergone fumigation and disinfection.

In her remarks, the UNICEF Chief, Maiduguri Field Office, Christina Valderrama, commended the leadership of Borno State Government for the swift response in mitigating the impact of the flood disaster that ravaged Maiduguri.

“We recognise Borno’s flood may trigger devastating disease outbreaks, potentially causing more harm than the flood itself.

“Therefore, we come together with a shared purpose: to safeguard the health and well-being of our communities through vital vaccination and supplementation initiatives.

“As we embark on this campaign for oral cholera vaccination, measles vaccination, and vitamin A supplementation, I will emphasise the importance of these measures in securing the future of children and promoting public health.

“Let us unite to build a shield of immunity that will prevent outbreaks and save lives,” Valderrama said.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Mohammed Arab, described the intervention as timely and urged people to make themselves available for the vaccination.