Borno : Cholera Death Toll Hits 44, Commences Immunisation On Monday

As the Borno State Government begins to immunize people against cholera next week, the death toll has; however hit 44 in Maiduguri metropolis and four council areas of Jere, Konduga, Dikwa and Monguno.

Over 915, 000 doses of cholera vaccines have been procured and delivered for distribution to commence the vaccination exercise on Monday, September 18, 2017.

This was disclosed at the weekend by State’s Commissioner of Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia at a joint press conference of World Health Organisation (WHO) and Borno State Ministry of Health at the Emergenc Operation Centre, Maiduguri.

He said the death toll was recorded from 1, 925 cases of cholera from Maiduguri metropolis and four council areas of Borno state.

His words: “From the cholera update situation in the state, we had 1, 113 cases in MMC and Jere, 561 in Dikwa, while Monguno had 231 cases with two deaths.”

He said the worst affected areas, which are tagged: “cholera hot spots;” are the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and communities, as they lack portable water and sanitary infrastructural facilities for toilets and latrines.

He said that besides the constructions of pit latrines in camps, purification water tablets and re-hydration solution are bein distributed to various camps and other affected communities in the state.

On massive immunization exercise, Dr. Mshelia said: “As 915, 000 doses of cholera vaccines are procured and delivered today to the Ministry of Health, the immunization exercise will commence next week Monday,

September 18, 2017 for all residents and IDPs above the age of one.”

He urged parents and guardians in the cholera hot spot areas; to avail their children and wards for the cholera vaccination exercise.