Deaths resulting from cholera rise to 233 in Nigeria, NCDC says

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has disclosed that deaths resulting from the outbreak of cholera have risen to 233 from 149 deaths that were recorded on September 25, 2022.

NCDC’s epidemiology report released on Thursday indicated that a total of 2, 187 confirmed cases of cholera were reported from 31 states and 233 deaths were recorded from January 1 to September 25, 2022.

It explained that the cholera outbreak was exacerbated by limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities, open defecation, and poor hygiene practices among the people.

NCDC Director General Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, who signed the report confirmed that the Agency has taken steps to strengthen Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) in Nigeria, in recognition of the fact that cholera is a waterborne disease, and the risk of transmission is higher in areas that lack adequate sanitation facilities and/or a regular supply of clean water.

“Similarly, unsafe practices such as improper disposal of refuse and open defecation endanger the safety of water used for drinking and personal use. These practices lead to the spread of water-borne diseases such as cholera. So, without proper WASH, Nigeria will continue to be at risk of cholera outbreaks along with associated suffering and deaths,” he said.

“NCDC has also supported the affected states in laboratory diagnosis, materials for risk communications, and response guidelines among other things. However, medical interventions alone are not sufficient to address the root causes hence the need for an improvement drive on WASH.

“The NCDC-led multisectoral TWG includes representation from the Federal Ministries of Environment and Water Resources, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners,” Dr Adetifa said.