The outbreak of cholera has claimed no fewer than 20 lives in Bauchi State within the last two weeks when the first case was reported in Burra, a village in Ningi LGA.
The Commissioner of Health, Dr Aliyu Maigoro Mohammed made the confirmation while addressing Journalists on Tuesday declaring that so far, a total of 322 cases have been reported at the various health facilities across the state.
Aliyu Maigoro added that the State Ministry of Health was notified of sporadic cases of gastroenteritis in Magami community, Burra ward of Ningi Local Government Area by the Area Health Officer in Burra district on the 11th May 2021 following an increase in the number of cases above normal from the community.
He added that the index case was a 37 years old housewife who presented at Burra General Hospital on 24th of April, 2021 complaining of abdominal pains, watery diarrhoea and vomiting while she and others affected were successfully managed and discharged home.
The commissioner further said that the Ministry through the State Primary Health Care Development Agency responded immediately to prevent the spread to other communities pointing out that it was discovered that there was an ongoing outbreak of a similar disease in neighbouring Sumaila and other LGAS of Kano State.
According to him, following intensified surveillance activities as a result of the report from Burra, the other LGAs of Warji, Bauchi, Giade and Toro detected and reported cases of gastroenteritis
Aliyu Maigoro, however, said that “samples have so far been collected and tested out of which 19 were positive by Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and by the culture which confirmed the presence of cholera.
He gave the summary of the cases so far recorded in the state as of 24th May 2021 Bauchi LGA has 147 cases with 9 deaths; Giade with 1 death, Misau with 4 deaths, Ningi 3 deaths, Toro 6 deaths and Warji 6 deaths.
The commissioner disclosed that among the steps taken is the Activation of the State Public Health Emergency Operation Centre, Development of an Incident Action Plan (IAP) and Response Coordination Meetings Chaired by himself.
He added that “outbreak response is being supported by relevant ministries, departments and agencies as well as partners (SEMA, BASEPA, RUWASSA, STAE WATER CORPORATION, SIB, ATBUTH, WHO, MSF, UNICEF, REDCROSS). Surveillance activities are heightened to detect and report cases promptly.”
Meanwhile, Isolation Centres have been set up in all General Hospitals of the affected LGAs while four cholera treatment units have been activated in Bauchi metropolis in ATBUTH, Specialist Hospital Bauchi, Urban Maternity and PHC Kandahar.
Also, there has been the provision of drugs and consumables to all the isolation sites in the state, mobilisation of staff (Doctors, Nurses and other paramedics ) to provide care to the victims and the Chlorination of wells and decontamination of households in the affected LGAS.
There is also the engagement of community and religious leaders and the general public on prevention and control measures e.g frequent hand washing, boiling of water before drinking, setting up of a Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC) at the ATBUTH to centralise case management
The commissioner concluded that the state governor, Senator Bala Mohammad, has graciously approved the release of funds to facilitate the response activities.
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