Abakaliki, Nigeria – About 11 persons, comprising men, women and children, have lost their lives following a cholera outbreak in Ndibokote village of Ezza Inyimagu in Izzi Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi State.
The cholera outbreak which was said to have started on Monday 23rd September 2024, equally claimed the life of a nursing mother who left behind a 9-month-old baby.
Speaking during a rapid response to the outbreak at Iziogo health center on Wednesday, 25th September, 2024, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, confirmed the cholera outbreak and disclosed that about 10 deaths have been recorded while about 20 affected persons were responding to treatment.
He enumerated efforts made to bring the condition under control and appreciated the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for approving funds for the procurement of medical commodities for the outbreak.
While Dr. Ekuma said that three treatment centers have been established in Iziogo, Sudan Mission, Onuenyim and Ndibokote villages, he advised the people to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
According to him, “once you start having symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting or even any, you should rush to any of these emergency treatment centers.”
The Medical Expert revealed that they embarked on emergency response to avoid further loss of lives and lauded development partners, like the WHO and UNICEF, for their support.
Contributing, the Director, Public Health, Dr Hyacinth Ebenyi, said although they believed that the outbreak was as a result of suspected cases, open defecation and poor hygiene contributed to the outbreak of the disease as they got their drinking water from streams.
On his part, a stakeholder of the Community, Elder Stephen Nwankpuma, said that immediately he got the distress call, he called relevant authorities which led to quick intervention of the State Government.
Earlier, a Community Health Worker and owner of God’s Healing Clinic, Mr. Maduabuchi Nwokpuru, narrated that the affected people brought to his facility were stooling and vomiting profusely, adding that they worked assiduously to save their lives.
He pointed out that some cases were referred, some cases lost and few were responding to treatment.
Some members of the Community who spoke, on the grounds of anonymity, said that the outbreak began after the burial of a woman suspected to have died of cholera last week.
They alleged that they called the Chairman of Izzi Local Government Council, Stephen Nwankpa, and one of the Coordinators of the Area but could not receive quick response, adding “if the grassroot politicians had responded to the distress calls, the number of deaths recorded would have been less.
“We don’t know what to do again. We reached Local Government Chairman and Coordinator, who claimed that he was making possible effort to make sure that he comes to our aid but since then we have not seen anybody,” they said.
Other staff of Epidemiology Unit in the Public Health Department of the Ministry, who made up the cholera response team, were: the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Ogbonna Nwambeke, the State Disease Surveillance Notification Officer (SDNO), Mr. Sampson Orogwu, and the Programme Manager, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Mr. Ifeanyi Nwofoke, among others.
