The Kogi state government has revealed that two cases of Cholera outbreak were confirmed, making it one of the 6 states in Nigeria to have low infection rates of the disease.
According to the State Commissioner for Health, Mr Abdullazeez Adam, who disclosed this in Lokoja, noted that one victim has already been treated and discharged while the other victim ”is doing well on treatment.”
Adam stated that he was aware that 31 states, including FCT, Abuja had an epidemic level of Cholera, meaning the remaining six states may have, but not to an epidemic level.
He explained further; “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.
He stated that those confirmed cases in Lagos and FCT, Abuja, were reported and confirmed cases in health facilities and hospitals, adding that the Kogi state government has set up Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all our wards in the 21 local government areas to mitigate the spread of the disease.
While maintaining that the officers are always on alert to report any case of disease outbreak to the appropriate quarters, the Commissioner said that the state government has initiated an ongoing sensitization on Radio and Television (TV) stations as well as Handbills with messages in the three dominant tribes in the state including Hausa and English languages to help in the creation of awareness.
“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.”.
”And, as such drastic measures have been taken to discourage people from open defecation to help stop 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 emphasized further.
