Adamawa records 197 cholera, says official

The Adamawa State government says it has recorded no fewer than 197 cases of cholera, with two deaths across the six affected local government areas of the state.

Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Celine Laori, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Yola, the state capital.

She identified the affected local government areas as Shelleng, Guyuk, Yola North, Yola South, Numan and Girei, saying that the two deaths were recorded in Guyuk and Shelleng.

Laori said that the government had intervened and provided relevant drugs and other preventive and curative measures against the disease in the affected communities.

The director, however, stated that the ministry had administered treatment to many of the victims.

According to her, the victims have been receiving antibiotics, intravenous fluids (IVF) and oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for effective treatment and cure against the scourge.

“We have deployed experts in those communities for wider coverage,” she said.

Laori cautioned residents of the affected communities against open defecation as well as the eating of contaminated food and drinking water.

She advised residents in the state to intensify basic hygiene, hand washing and a clean environment.

The director said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had recently donated anti-cholera drugs worth millions of naira, as part of its efforts to support the ongoing cholera response activities in the state.

The director stated that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri-led administration had recently established four additional cottage hospitals in Lamurde, Shelleng and two other local government areas with a view to increasing access to healthcare delivery.

Laori said that the government had been forthcoming in organising capacity building, training and retraining of health personnel, to boost their performances.

“Hundreds of nurses, medical doctors and pharmacists were recently recruited and deployed in existing facilities across urban and rural communities,” she stated.

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