Cholera: US CDC, AFENET deploy rapid response team to Zamfara
The United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the African Field Epidemiology Network have deployed a rapid response team to Zamfara State to help contain the cholera outbreak.
The state Ministry of Health said the outbreak, which began on January 15, has already resulted in more than 11,000 cases with a 1.6 per cent fatality rate.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Isah, disclosed that over 60 per cent of the cases were recorded in Talata Mafara, Gusau, Bungudu, and Zurmi.
“All 14 local government areas have been affected, with over 60 per cent of cases coming from Talata Mafara, Gusau, Bungudu and Zurmi,” he said.
He added that insecurity and humanitarian challenges in the state have worsened the spread of the disease, calling it a major public health concern.
To support the response, seven Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme residents and one graduate were deployed to high-burden areas for 14 days.
“Their mandate is to strengthen surveillance, improve case management and coordinate with the State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre,” Isah explained.
In addition to the personnel, the CDC and AFENET delivered 29,500 medical supplies to the state government.
The items included 40,000 medicines such as oral rehydration salts, Ringer’s lactate, dextrose water and normal saline.
Also delivered were 3,900 consumables, 500 infection prevention and control supplies, and 1,000 protective equipment items.
The rapid response team lead, Ahmad Aliyu, presented the supplies to the state’s Commissioner for Health, Nafisa Maradun.
Maradun welcomed the gesture, describing it as “massive and one that will go a long way in controlling the outbreak.”
She assured that the materials would be distributed across the affected areas.
“Everything we have received today will be used judiciously to achieve the objectives,” the Commissioner said.
