Cholera outbreak: UNICEF to donate commodities to six Niger LGAs

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that it will donate commodities to the six affected local government areas that are worst hit by the recent cholera outbreak in Niger State.

Speaking to journalists after inspecting the isolation centre at the old wing of Late Senator Idris Kuta Primary Health Care centre along old airport road, Minna, the UNICEF Chief of Kaduna Field Office, Dr. Gerida Birukila, said even though the centre has been running, UNICEF wants to beef it up to meet up to standard and demands of the cholera treatment.

It should be recalled that, Niger state government, through the Commissioner of Primary Health Care, Dr. Ibrahim Dangana, confirmed that 13 lives were lost and about two hundred and forty persons hospitalised in six local government areas of the state.

She added that the UNICEF will be working in collaboration with the Niger state government and other organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure the Cholera outbreak in Niger is curbed.

“As of today (Thursday), most of those who have died are children and they are also more represented in the 297 suspected cases.

“We have four new cases who have just been admitted here, but in the local government areas, there are twenty-three cases. But some of them are positive while others are not. Also, UNICEF Health Specialist with the Kaduna Field Office, Dr. Sule Mele, said the case of cholera was identified two weeks ago in the metropolitan city of Minna, which has Chanchaga and Bosso LGAs, and had gradually spread to four other LGAs.

“So far, we have over two hundred suspected cases, and 50 per cent are positive forthe rapid diagnostic test. And there is likely ian ncrease in new cases.

“The UNICEF is doing all it can to curb the spread by carrying out sanitisation as well as case management of those who are suspected; they are being isolated and treated,” she said.

Speaking on efforts made so far, Dr. Mele said the UNICEF has donated commodities and is ready to set up cholera treatment units in all the other LGAs that have suspected cases, because we can not bring all the suspects here, and we are going to preposition the commodities to these units.

Earlier, the Director, Public Health in the State Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Ibrahim Idris, said the State Government has set up treatment and isolation centres to mitigate the spread and has embarked on an aggressive sensitisation exercise.

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