Sania Nishtar, the CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, recently announced on her official X Social Media account that Nigeria will be receiving Cholera Vaccines to aid in the battle against the current epidemic. These Gavi-funded vaccines are set to arrive soon in Nigeria, providing assistance to the government in its efforts to control and safeguard those most vulnerable to the outbreak. The vaccine marks a positive step towards controlling the country’s harmful and persistent outbreak.
They are prepared to collaborate with their partners, UNICEF and WHO, in order to assist Minister Muhammad Pate, FMOH Nigeria, and NCDC in containing this outbreak and safeguarding the people. In response to Ms. Nishtar, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, conveyed appreciation for her role in expediting access to Gavi-funded cholera vaccines. He assured that these would be distributed with optimal efficiency and efficacy in order to combat the current outbreak.
Collaborative efforts will be made to upgrade water and sanitation.
The minister commended President Bola Tinubu for his effective leadership in creating a diverse cabinet committee to assist the Emergency Operations Centre, managed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDC), in overseeing a unified national response spanning all 36 states. Despite seeing initial indications of a decline in both infections and deaths within the country, Mr. Pate emphasized the continuation of efforts to improve the situation. He highlighted the upcoming arrival of vaccines as a significant factor in strengthening their response measures.
He also expressed that there is a focus on enhancing water and Sanitation in the country. Efforts are being accelerated to upgrade the Infrastructure for water and sanitation in collaboration with various stakeholders such as the Ministries of Water Resources and Environment, subnational governments, Private Sector partners, and civil society. The minister also acknowledged the valuable technical support and advocacy offered by UNICEF Nigeria. In efforts to combat the outbreak, necessary medical supplies for treating, preventing infections, and conducting laboratory tests have been provided to all healthcare facilities across the country.
Significant progress has been made in combating the outbreak.
At a press conference in Abuja, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Jide Idris, reported that there have been 3,623 suspected cases of cholera and 103 deaths in Nigeria so far in 2024. These cases have been spread across 34 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and 187 Local Government Areas. The total number of deaths equates to a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8% since the start of the year. According to the minister, there was a drop in the number of cases during the preceding week.
During the reporting week of 8th-14th July, there was a decrease of 5.6% in the number of cases compared to the previous week. Additionally, the case fatality rate decreased from 2.9% to 2.8%, as noted by him. Cholera, a disease caused by Vibrio cholerae, is transmitted through contaminated water and food. Contaminants from individuals with infections can often be found in the water, whether it be at its origin, during transit, or when stored in households. Moreover, improper hygiene practices, such as not washing hands, can cause food to become tainted, resulting in the transmission of diseases. It is characterised by sudden, excessive, and painless diarrhea.
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Additionally, the agency has offered assistance both remotely and in person to regions like Lagos and Ogun. They have maintained regular communication to receive daily updates on the status of response efforts. Furthermore, the agency has overseen continuous training sessions for laboratory scientists at the local level regarding sample handling and analysis. They have also conducted training for community mobilisers on important messages related to prevention and awareness. Delivering jingles and posters with important information on preventing cholera to every state and the Federal Capital Territory.