The Minister of Water Resources in Nigeria, Suleiman Adamu, yesterday revealed that Nigeria recorded 111,062 cases of cholera with 3,062 deaths in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory last year.
He made this known in Abuja at a training workshop on cholera prevention, preparedness and response which was held to sensitise Nigerians on the need to stay alert.
The minister pointed out that the victims were mostly between five and 13 years old.
Adamu, represented by the Director, Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Emmanuel Awe, attributed the situation to “the unpreparedness” of most states.
He said most states were not trained on what to do at the outbreak of the disease and did not stock up the essential items to be used to prevent the spread.
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He noted that the workshop was to train and prepare the states on how to prevent the spread of cholera before the next rainy season.
He said all the state governors were being mobilised to put necessary measures in place to prevent the outbreak before the rainy season.
‘We’ve evolved the strategies of cholera prevention and elimination through the construction of water schemes, including boreholes and dams, to curtail the spread of cholera and related waterborne diseases, the construction of toilets to reduce open defecation.
‘As at 5th January this year, we’ve been able to record 76 local government areas out of 774 in the country that were entirely open defecation-free, in addition to thousands of other communities that are open defection-free,’ he said.
The minister said the government would continue to support the states in the provision of institutions.
He, however, said the states were expected to own the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and discharged their constitutional responsibilities.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
