The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has pledged to donate essential medical supplies to six local government areas (LGAs) in Niger State affected by a cholera outbreak, in a bid to help contain the spread of the disease.
Speaking to journalists in Minna, the state capital, the UNICEF Chief of Kaduna Field Office, Dr Gerida Birukila, stated that although cholera treatment centres were already operational, efforts were underway to upgrade these facilities to international standards in order to effectively manage the increasing number of cases.
This comes after the Niger State Commissioner for Primary Health Care, Dr Ibrahim Dangana, confirmed that 13 people have died and over 240 individuals have been hospitalised across six LGAs due to the outbreak.
Dr Birukila noted that UNICEF would continue to work in partnership with the Niger State Government, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other health stakeholders to curb the spread of the disease.
“As of today (Thursday), most of those who have died are children, and they make up a significant number of the 297 suspected cases,” she said.
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She revealed that four new patients had just been admitted to the treatment centre, while 23 additional cases across the LGAs were under close monitoring. Some of these have tested positive for cholera, while others remain under observation.
Also speaking, UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr Sule Mele, explained that the outbreak was first detected two weeks ago in Minna, affecting Chanchaga and Bosso LGAs, before spreading to four additional local governments.
“So far, we have over 200 suspected cases, and 50 percent have tested positive using rapid diagnostic tests. We anticipate the number may rise,” Dr Mele stated.
He added that UNICEF had already launched intensive sensitisation campaigns and was actively involved in the isolation and treatment of suspected cases.
Cholera treatment units are also being established in all affected LGAs, and essential commodities are being pre-positioned in those areas to enable a swift and efficient response.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Health in the Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr Ibrahim Idris, affirmed that the state government had set up isolation and treatment centres, alongside mass sensitisation campaigns, to prevent further transmission of the disease.