Sodiq Ojuroungbe The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, Dr Jide Idris, says the number of people dying from cholera complications, has reduced drastically. He declared that the country was winning the war against the disease, adding that more cases were being recorded because of the detecting mechanism implemented by the government. Speaking with newsmen shortly after the launch of the Integrated Disease Testing and Surveillance Project in Lagos on Friday, Idris, said sensitization and awareness about the disease led to increased detection of cholera in several local government areas across different states.
He added, “What I can tell you is that we are recording lower fatalities. Again because of the awareness, we are detecting more cases from more states and local governments. But the point is that less people are dying.
“Over time, with continued and increased awareness, we expect a reduction in cases.” The NCDC recently said it recorded 2,102 suspected cholera cases and 63 deaths across 33 states and 122 Local Government Areas from the beginning of the year to June 30. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government recorded 33 deaths, 49 confirmed cases and 821 suspected cases in several LGAs, with Eti-Osa, Lagos Island and Kosofe witnessing the highest cases.
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingesting food, water and drinks contaminated with the vibrio cholerae bacteria. The symptoms include constant stooling and can be accompanied by vomiting, leading to rapid loss of body fluids and death within hours if immediate medical attention is not provided. Copyright PUNCH All rights reserved.
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