Recent incessant rains have resulted in floods in some states and the Federal Capital Territory ,FCT, a situation that prompted the minister to call on state governments across the country to intensify efforts in clearing drainages.

According to the minister, there has been no release of water yet from any of the dams within and outside Nigeria.  For Kainji and Jebba Dams on River Niger, he said water is still impounded into their reservoirs.

He said river flooding is expected beginning this month, and states likely to be impacted are; Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Adamawa, Benue, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Jigawa, Kogi, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Ondo, Ogun, Rivers, Taraba and the FCT.

His call came days after the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control ,NCDC, Jide Idris confirmed that the death toll from the rampaging cholera outbreak had risen to 63, and 2,102 suspected cases.

He said cases have now been recorded across 122 local government areas in 33 states of the country’s 36 and the FCT adding that about 90 per cent of the cases were recorded in 10 states with seven of them in the southern region.

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He said they were able to supply Kirikiri medium prison with intravenous fluids, infection prevention, and other health consumables.Additionally, the World Health Organization ,WHO, has donated 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals which have been delivered to the prison to support prison health facilities with prevention strategies for about 3,200 inmates if required.

The Commissioner also said immediate water and sanitation issues have been corrected, and there is ongoing inspections of other correctional facilities in the state.

Abayomi also revealed that the recent cholera outbreak in Lagos stemmed from unregulated street beverages and contaminated water supplies, identified as the primary sources two weeks ago.

The commissioner, however, announced a significant improvement in daily cholera cases from the spike reported two weeks ago and also acknowledged evidence of ongoing low-grade community transmission, noting that few cases were still presenting to hospitals.

He disclosed that while no new deaths attributable to cholera had been reported in the past 72 hours, the government was escalating efforts to eradicate transmission entirely.

The commissioner explained that the decrease in new daily cases and the absence of recent deaths showed that interventions were yielding results.  He underscored the importance of adhering to public health information and advice regarding safety measures and seeking prompt medical care when symptoms arise and cholera is suspected

Abayomi disclosed that the state government is utilizing its interagency “One Health” approach, to implement environmental health measures alongside the Lagos Water Corporation and sanitation agencies.  These measures, he noted, include widespread sanitation efforts, inspection and disinfection of boreholes, provision of safe drinking water to affected local governments, and enforcement of stricter regulations on local beverage manufacturers.

The commissioner, while stressing the importance of ongoing vigilance and compliance with public health precautions, reassured the public that there was no cause for panic and expressed confidence that through ongoing collaboration, vigilance, and commitment from all stakeholders, the state will effectively combat and control the spread of cholera.

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Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC,  Jide Idris, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, is leading the discussions with GAVI.

The development came as NCDC  announced an increase in the death toll and spread of the disease across 32 states and 115 local government areas of the federation.

Nigeria utilises three World Health Organization, WHO, pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines, including Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol-Plus.

Two doses of any of the three vaccines are required for full protection and are administered only to persons and groups at high risk, such as travellers to areas with active cholera transmission or people living in areas experiencing outbreaks.

On the request for emergency doses of cholera vaccine,, Idris said: “GAVI, a global health partnership, plays a pivotal role in improving access to vaccines in low-income countries. Through these negotiations, Nigeria aims to secure an emergency supply of cholera vaccines to curb the outbreak.

Idris explained further that there is a surge in global demand for cholera vaccines, leading to severe shortage, even though he noted that the limited supply has strained efforts to control outbreaks in endemic regions, including Nigeria.

 While noting that more vaccines were being ordered because of the scale of the problem, the NCDC D-G called for stronger international collaboration to ensure that life-saving vaccines reach the most vulnerable populations promptly.

He regretted that cholera, an acute diarrheal disease caused by ingestion of contaminated water or food, remained a persistent health threat in Nigeria, with the outbreak significantly impacting several states, leading to deaths and overwhelming healthcare facilities.

In 2021, Nigeria received approval from WHO for over 3.5 million doses of the oral cholera vaccine. In 2022, the country requested an additional nine million doses of the vaccines.
The effectiveness of the cholera vaccine varies, depending on the type of vaccine and the number of doses given.

As recommended by the World Health Organisation, WHO, experts say a single dose offers protection, but two doses are generally more effective.

While significant protection lasts at least three years, a single dose for young children might need a booster in the third year.

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The Minister of Health,  Ali Pate, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the council meeting presided over by the President at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He also disclosed that the cabinet committee would comprise members from the Federal Ministry of Health, Finance, Water Resources, Environment, Youth, Aviation and Education.

He added that the committee’s effort was in addition to state government support to ensure Nigeria made progress in reducing open defecation.

The minister said the council then approved a cabinet committee comprising the federal ministries of health, ministry of finance, water resources, environment, youth, aviation, and education because some  children will be returning to school.

In addition to this, he said the state governments will be co-opted so that Nigeria makes progress in reducing open defecation because cholera is a developmental issue that requires a multi-sectoral approach.

According to him, the President directed that cabinet committee be set up to oversee what the emergency operation centre led by NCDC is doing and for the resources to be provided, complemented by state governments.
The minister said that at the moment, 31 states had recorded 1528 cases in Nigeria with 53 deaths.

On cholera, Pate said we are in the middle of the 7th pandemic globally which is decades in the making in 2022 the world had almost 500,000 cases of cholera so it is not only peculiar to Nigeria. He added that In 2023 almost 700,000 cases of cholera were reported by the World Health Organisation while this year, more than 200,000 cases have occurred in five regions of the World, 

He also emphasised that a multi-sectoral approach was required to tackle the outbreak.

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The NCDC said as of 24th June 2024, a total of 1,528 suspected cases and 53 deaths have been recorded across 31 states.

It added that following a dynamic risk assessment of the cholera epidemiological situation which placed the country at a very high risk of increased cholera transmission, the National Cholera Emergency Operations Centre has been activated.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government said one person had died and 25 cases of the disease were confirmed in the area.  The casualty is from Ijebu North local government of the state.

According to the Ogun State Health Commissioner Tomi Coker who gave the figure in Abeokuta,  free surveillance and emergency treatment have been activated in all 20 local government areas of the state.

Coker identified Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Obafemi/ Owode, Ijebu North, Ado, and Odo/ OTA local government areas as the most hit by the disease.

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As of Thursday, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, said that the number of recorded fatalities rose to 21 from 15. She also reported 350 suspected cases. According to her, Lagos Island, Kosofe, and Eti Osa recorded the highest numbers.

Ogunyemi, while providing an update on the outbreak after meeting with members of the Lagos State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre  attributed the rise in cases to the Ileya festivities during which large gatherings occurred.

She, however, noted that suspected cases were subsiding across LGAs particularly in previously affected LGAs due to state government interventions and surveillance efforts.

The special adviser stated that the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Health and other sister agencies, was maintaining rigorous surveillance and monitoring of the situation and implementing planned programs and activities to curb the spread.
Meanwhile, the death toll has risen to 37 as Ogun state records first casualty

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Asagbra said NBMA, in collaboration with health authorities, was actively monitoring the situation and implementing measures to contain the spread of the disease.

She also called on Nigerians to imbibe various hygiene practices such as boiling drinking water or using certified water purification methods.   According to her, there is need to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially before eating or preparing food.

The Director-General also urged Nigerians to always wash hands with soap and water after using the toilet, cook food thoroughly and consume it while it was hot.

She advised that Nigerians avoid raw foods, such as fruits and vegetables unless they could be peeled or washed with safe water and to always keep the environment clean and dispose waste properly to prevent contamination.

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