Cholera Outbreak: Plateau records 953 cases, 14 deaths in two months — Official

The government of Plateau State, North-central Nigeria, has said not less than 14 people have died of Cholera disease within the last two months of the outbreak in the state, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

The state’s commissioner for health, Nimkong Lar, who disclosed this on Wednesday shortly after the cabinet meeting, added that a total number of 953 cases have been recorded within the same period.

The report noted that a total of 910 patients have so far been discharged while 29 are still receiving treatment at various health facilities across the state.

The commissioner said the disease, which was previously recorded in Jos North Local Government, has spread to 13 local government areas.

He said the development requires concerted efforts to address.

Cholera outbreak

The diarrheal disease, which is notorious for killing within hours if not promptly treated, is endemic in Nigeria, with outbreaks reported as far back as the 1970s.

Earlier in June, PREMIUM TIMES had reported that a total of 289 Nigerians have died from the disease between January and June, 2021.

The report was based on a statement by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

According to the disease centre, about eight states of the federation were then being ravaged by the diarrheal disease.

It then listed the affected states as Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Zamfara, Bayelsa and Kaduna.

However, the situation has since further degenerated with more than 13 states now being ravaged.

Situation in Plateau

According to NAN, the commissioner listed Jos North Government Area as the most impacted with 484 cases.

“Jos South and Bassa Local Government Areas follow with 307 and 57 cases respectively,“ he said.

NCDC to the rescue

Mr Lar said the NCDC’s representatives visited the state to lend a helping hand.

He said a total of 100,154 doses of vaccine were administered in the state out of the 105,600 doses supplied by the federal government.

He said 5,000 doses of the vaccines were returned the the federal government as they had expired on June 28.

No COVID-19 vaccine

Meanwhile, NAN said the commissioner has also disclosed that the state no longer has vaccine doses for coronavirus pandemic

He said the state, with confirmed cases of 9,068, and 57 deaths, has discharged 9,008 persons with the infection.

The commissioner said requests would have to be made for allocation of more doses for those who are yet to receive their second jab.

He said: “As regards COVID-19 cases, the state has so far tested 73,177 people with confirmed cases of 9,068, discharged 9,008 and recorded 57 deaths,“ he said.

Also speaking, the commissioner for information and communication, Dan Manjang, said the executive council at Wednesday’s meeting also approved the procurement of some hospital equipment.

He listed the equipment to include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines and 64 slides of Computed Tomography (CT) Scan machines.

Others are digital X-ray machines and 4D ultrasound machines, for the use at the Plateau Specialist Hospital.

Mr Manjang said a total of N1.7 billion was approved for the procurement of the items, saying the machines would facilitate access to quality and affordable healthcare service delivery to the residents of the state.

Other approvals

NAN further reported that the information commissioner also said the council approved the re-award of the construction of the 13-kilometre Mangu byepass road of more than N2.8 billion, and that approval was given for the construction of some road projects.

He said the road projects were mostly revised estimate cost following increase in scope of work and variation of price for materials.

“There was also an approval for the full and final settlement of the buy-out of Jos Inland Dry Port Heipang, from Duncan Maritime Ventures Nig. Ltd, by the state government at the cost of N2.2 billion,“ he said.

He said the council also approved the furnishing of the new high court complex at the cost of N695 million and the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) Centre for about N34 million.

The commissioner also said contracts a total of N65 million was awarded for renovation and remodeling of the state primary healthcare board and provision of office furniture; and the renovation of the governor and deputy governor lodges in Kaduna.

The state’s commissioner for finance, Regina Soemalat, said the projects would be funded with bank loans.

She said the state has never defaulted in its loan commitments.

The commissioner, however, did not state whether the loans had been procured or not. (NAN)