Photo: Cholera disease victims
The death toll from the outbreak of cholera and severe diarrhoea diseases in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has risen from 54 to 60, while suspected cases of the disease rose from 604 to 698 within 72 hours.
Dr Ramatu Aliyu, Minister of State for the FCT announced this on Thursday in Abuja during the continuation of government’s intensive community sensitization on cholera and other acute diarrhea diseases in Pyakasa and Gwagwa communities.
“Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) recorded 281 suspected cases with 22 deaths and Bwari Area Council recorded 134 suspected cases with 22 deaths.
“In Gwagwalada Area Council, 220 suspected cases with nine deaths were recorded, Kuje Area Council had 23 suspected cases with four deaths and Kwali Area Council recorded 37 suspected cases with three deaths.”
“This is unacceptable in the FCT, the administration would not fold its hands and watch residents die helplessly over preventable diseases. We must take every necessary steps to curb further spread,” the minister said.
The minister who was represented by Dr Iwot Ndaeyo, the acting Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Health Care Board, added that Abaji Area Council also recorded three suspected cases with no death.
She urged FCT residents and critical stakeholders to publicise the message of cholera prevention and proper sanitation with the practice of hand hygiene in their respective communities.
Earlier in his remark, Alhaji Abdullahi Candido the Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) said AMAC was committed to mitigating the spread of the disease to adjoining and other communities.
According to Candido, AMAC’s Primary Health Care Department has embarked on sensitization to the four chiefdoms in the area council to enlighten the traditional rulers and their councils about the cholera outbreak and preventive measures.
“On our part as an area council, we swung into action immediately we received the news of the outbreak and its confirmation in June. We quickly mobilised our health personnel in our primary healthcare facilities for prompt responses.
“Following the recommendations from the outbreak report, we provided funds for quick purchase of drugs,infusions and other treatment materials and consumables, in addition to the ones we received from the FCT Public Health Department.
“The Disease Control Unit of our Primary Health Care Department through Disease Surveillance Notification Officers, has been working tirelessly in different communities of the council, including the hard-to-reach fields.
This will enable the officers to trace and report cases at the primary healthcare facilities for free treatment,” he added.
Candido further commended the “professional competence, commitment and zeal of the council’s health workers and the Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCTA in combating the life threatening disease.”
