Niger battles cholera as 409 cases emerge across 16 LGAs

The cholera pandemic has affected approximately 16 local government councils in Niger State as of Thursday, July 24, 2024, with around 409 individuals impacted by the disease.

Dr. Ibrahim Dangana, the State Honourable Commissioner for the Niger State Ministry of Primary Health Care, made this announcement while speaking to journalists during the launch of a sensitisation campaign for measles and rubella in Minna.

Dr. Dangana noted that the death toll currently stands at 13, and he emphasised that the state government has implemented necessary measures to control the spread of the infection.

He also reassured the public that the government is adequately prepared to manage all affected individuals.

“We have identified isolation and treatment centers across all the 25 local Government Councils, not just Minna, the state capital, stressing that government had made available essential supplies of drugs and medicines including intravenous fluid to all the treatment centers, emphasizing that the treatment is free of charge to all the patients, we are not charging any money, because, we want to quickly control the situation”, he declared.

The Commissioner explained that other measures put in place include the stakeholders meeting of the state multi-sectoral committee on epidemic preparedness and response, saying that his ministry is working closely with the relevant ministries such as the Environment, Water and Sanitation, as well as all the development partners in the state.

Ibrahim applauded development partners, such as the UNICEF, WHO and others for their unwavering support to the state government, he, however, promised that the government would sustain the synergy.

He, thereby, advised the people to be conscious of their hygiene as well as environmental hygiene, just as he also urged the people to be aware/ careful of their water sources, and ensure that they sanitise water before consumption, highlighting that cholera is spread by contaminated water and food within the environment.

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