Kogi records 2 confirmed cholera cases

Kogi seems to be among the six states in Nigeria that have mild cases of cholera, recording only two confirmed cases.

The State Commissioner for Health, Mr Abdullazeez Adam, told our reporter in Lokoja that cases were confirmed with one victim treated and discharged.

“The other victim is doing well on treatment,” he added.

Adam said that he was aware that 31 states, including FCT, Abuja had epidemic level of Cholera, which is of public health importance, meaning the remaining six states may have, but not to epidemic level.

“As far as Kogi is concerned, we had only two cases of cholera. Until people report it, samples taken for test and confirmation obtained by undergoing culture in the laboratory, we may not know the other cases.

“If we want to know the type, samples must be taken and sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Abuja.

“As earlier mentioned, as for the recent Cholera outbreak in the country, up until Wednesday, June 26, we had just one recorded case, which is counted.

“If it’s not reported, one can’t say there’s any. Unreported case, means, when someone is sick and is stooling, yet have not gone to hospital or any health facility but resolved to taking ORS or drugs while at home, it can’t be counted.

“If it’s suspected, reported and confirmed, then it can be counted as a case, else it won’t.

“Those cases they have in Lagos and FCT, Abuja, were reported and confirmed cases in health facilities and hospitals,” he said.

On measures taken by the state government to address the situation in the state, he said drastic measures have been taken to ensure that the disease is brought under control.

“Thank God here in Kogi, we have Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all our wards in the 21 local government areas,

”They are always on alert to report any case of disease outbreak to the appropriate quarters.

“We also have jingles that are ongoing on Radio and Television (TV) stations, Handbills with messages in the three dominant tribes in the state including Hausa and English languages,” he said.

Adam urged the public to report any suspected case of Cholera and maintain good hygiene, noting that Cholera was basically about good hygiene.

“Before now, we had trained people on how to identify cases that can be termed epidemic, because Lassa Fever dealt with us recently.

”Kogi was among states with Lassa Fever cases, so we trained people on how to identify such diseases or any outbreak at any time to the appropriate quarters.

“We have medical consumables on reserve in our Drug Central Medical Store ready for deployment to places in need in time of outbreaks.

”Just recently, the Federal Government, through the NCDC, sent some drugs to us to help address any such cases of Cholera outbreak in the state. They are well kept in our Drug Central Medical Store for distribution when necessary.”.

According to him, they have been sensitising and enlightening people on the need for them to keep good hygiene by living in clean environments, drinking potable water, and avoiding open defecation.

The commissioner said that the government had come to realize that open defecation, bad drinking water and dirty environments are main causes of Cholera.

”And, as such drastic measures have been taken to discourage people from open defecation to health ward ward the outbreak of Cholera and other diseases amongst our populace.

“Our health officers are always out, monitoring people’s houses to ensure that those of them that have no toilets must provide one for the people living there.

“We believe these measures would go a long way at ensuring healthy living amongst our people. Health, they say, is wealth, more so that prevention is better than cure,” he said.

The commissioner added: “I can generally conclude that though Kogi is fully prepared to deal with the Cholera disease, we have but just one case as we speak

Similarly, the Niger Government says data available shows that there were no confirmed cases of cholera in the state.

Dr Idris Ibrahim, Director Public Health, Niger Ministry for Secondary and Tertiary Health, said the state was not relenting as all precautionary measures had been put in place to respond and mitigate against any outbreak.

“Our technical people are alert, coordination at the state and local government levels is ongoing.

“The state epidemiology in the public health department and the state disease surveillance officers are all alert looking at all the data coming from local government areas.

“They are analysing the data to know if anyone has increased on a weekly basis, there is also active surveillance such as being in constant communication with local governments areas,” he said.

Ibrahim said there were two surveillance officers in each local government area with their two assistants reporting situations to the state as part of coordination structure.

He added surveillance officers were also positioned at health facilities with a high volume of patients going through the outpatients register to identify any case of patients with symptoms of vomiting and purging.

The director said the ministry had trained some persons called “community informants”, as contacts tracers to identify persons taken to traditional herbal care homes with symptoms like diarrhoea and vomiting.

He disclosed that officials of the state public health and the state epidemiology departments alongside partners such as WHO and UNICEF meet twice weekly to discuss data.

Ibrahim said the state had taken preposition measures to deploy consumables and drugs across local government areas as preparedness to respond to any emergency case, adding that data was constantly transmitted to the national level.

He disclosed that the ministry had embarked on sensitisation using media organisations to sensitise the public on personal hygiene and how to keep their environment clean.

He added that part of the sensitization was public health education for people to always visit a nearby health facility when they are sick for proper medical treatment.

Also in Nasarawa State, Dr Gaza Gwamna, the State Commissioner for Health says there were no confirmed cases of cholera outbreak in the state.

Gwamna however said that 29 suspected cases of cholera were recorded in two out of the 13 LGAs of the state.

He explained that 19 suspected cases were recorded in Kokona and 10 in Nasarawa-Eggon LGAs with one mortality.

“The cases at the moment are still suspected and even the person that died in Nasarawa-Eggon was not confirmed, but a suspected case before his death,” he added.

He said that the suspected cases were undergoing medical checks to know their status.

The commissioner said that because of the outbreak in some states, the ministry had taken measures to prevent it before it occurred.

He explained that the outbreak of cholera normally happens around this time of the year because heavy dawn pour usually leads to contamination of water sources that people use.

Gwamna said that already sensitisation had been stepped up in collaboration with traditional rulers and other stakeholders to educate the people to improve hygiene and ensure regular sanitation.

The commissioner added that the state has deployed Disease Surveillance Officers to every electoral wards across the 13 LGAs of the state.

He explained that the Disease Surveillance Officers are responsible for reporting suspected cases based on the symptoms to the ministry for prompt action.

“They are expected to give reports of happenings in their areas on a daily basis to enable the government to take action in case of any outbreak,” the commissioner added.

Gwamna noted that provision of quality and affordable healthcare services was one of the topmost priority of the Gov. Abdullahi Sule-led administration.

He further explained that the governor had approved the upgrading of four Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to General Hospitals for improved services.

He listed the PHCs that were approved to be upgraded to General Hospitals to includes PHC Assakyo in Lafia, Gudi in Akwanga, New Karu in Karu and Azara in Awe LGA.