Cholera Outbreak: Nigeria Activates Health Emergency Measures

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria has activated the National Cholera Multi-Sectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) following the threat of a cholera epidemic in the country.

The government said as of June 24, about 1,528 suspected cases and 53 deaths had been recorded across 31 states and 107 local government areas of the federation. It put the fatality rate at 3.5 per cent since the beginning of the year.

The Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, on Monday, said the disease control body would be reaching out to other stakeholders, including state governors, to find a lasting solution to the causative factors behind the cholera outbreak in the country.

The revelations came as Ogun State, on Monday, confirmed nine out of 25 suspected cases of cholera infection, with one death recorded as of June 24.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, disclosed this at a press conference in Abeokuta. Ms Coker said efforts were in top gear to establish the actual status of the 16 cases still under close monitoring.

NCDC said the outcome of a risk assessment by the centre placed Nigeria at “High Risk” of cholera transmission and impact, adding that the country faced another public health emergency after coming out of Lassa fever and Meningitis outbreaks.

As part of interventions to arrest a cholera epidemic, Mr Idris said NCDC was embarking on a coordinated approach with the states to identify and deal with the disease spread in the affected areas.

“In response to the rapidly increasing cholera cases, a dynamic risk assessment was conducted by subject matter experts on the cholera outbreak situation in Nigeria last week.

“The subject matter experts were drawn from relevant ministries (Health, Environment, Agriculture, Water Resources, etc.), departments, agencies, stakeholders, and major partners. The outcome of the risk assessment placed the country at ‘High Risk’ of increased risk of cholera transmission and impact. This demands our immediate and coordinated actions and, therefore, necessitated the activation of the National Cholera Multi-Sectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Nigeria today,” the DG further stated.

Cholera, a highly contagious food and waterborne disease, has recently erupted in several states across our country. The ingestion of the organic, Vibrio cholerae, causes it and is from contaminated water and food.

The NCDC director-general said, “The decision to activate the Cholera EOC underscores the gravity of the situation and our unwavering commitment to protect the health and well-being of every Nigerian.”

He said the fatalities were not just statistics but significant loss of loved family members, and often seasoned healthcare workers and team members. He said the situation might be compounded as the rainy season intensified.

Mr Idris said the EOC will serve as the nerve centre for the coordination of response across the country.

He said the emergency centre will also support affected states, facilitate rapid communication, data analysis, and decision-making processes, and mobilise resources, expertise, and support from across the NCDC, partners, and stakeholders at all levels of government.

The NCDC chief said the centre would ensure efficient deployment of needed resources, strengthen surveillance and diagnostic capacity and capabilities, enhance case management, and training and intensify public awareness and community engagement activities.

He further said an incident manager had been appointed, who “will coordinate the day-to-day activities involving several pillars, such as surveillance (data collection, analysis and dissemination), case management, oral cholera vaccine issues, coordination, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), logistics support, and research.”