Dr. Henry Ayuk, Cross River State’s Health Commissioner, has activated an emergency response team to address potential cholera outbreaks, he revealed in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Calabar.
While the state has not seen any cholera cases since the outbreak began, Ayuk noted that one cholera-related death occurred in March 2024, although no current cases have been reported.
“There was an outbreak of the disease in Obubura and Biase local government areas between February and April, with one death recorded during the outbreak.
“That was about the only time we had a case of cholera outbreak in this state,” he noted.
The Osun State Government has intensified awareness campaigns among residents to prevent a cholera outbreak, according to Commissioner for Health Jola Akintola, who addressed concerns about the increased risk during the festive season.
Akintola highlighted measures in place to prevent the outbreak, and his ministry has intensified sensitization efforts, particularly at motor parks and markets across the state, as reported by Naijatraffic.
He further emphasized, “No suspected case of cholera in Osun till now, not to talk of a confirmed case. We have fliers everywhere and outreaches were being organised in some public places like moto parks and markets.
“But as we speak, we have not recorded any suspected case. The essence of the outreaches I spoke about earlier is to educate our people on what they must do to prevent the outbreak of the disease.”
A non-governmental organization, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), is urging state governments to tackle the root causes of cholera outbreaks, rather than just issuing safety guidelines and precautions.
According to CAPPA’s Media and Communications Officer, Robert Egbe, the organization believes that addressing the underlying issues is crucial to effectively curbing the spread of cholera.
“Cholera is an infectious disease that causes diarrhoea and severe dehydration and is typically spread through unsafe water and food contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
“The disease, even though preventable, is particularly vicious in areas where sanitary facilities are insufficient, and the availability of safe water supply is inadequate. As such, the resolution to controlling cholera lies in the effective management of public water and sanitation systems,” CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi stated.
