The Northern Senators Forum, NSF, has commiserated with the government and people of Borno State over the cholera outbreak that has claimed 37 lives, and called on the Federal Government to deploy emergency medical and preventive measures immediately.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Sen. Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua and issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Forum described the situation as a “serious public health emergency.”
The senators said they were “deeply concerned by reports of over 3,000 cases across seven local government areas, with Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere bearing the heaviest burden.”
They noted the one percent case fatality rate and the strain on health infrastructure reported by the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency.
“We commiserate with the government and good people of Borno State over the tragic loss of 37 lives to the ongoing cholera outbreak. We also extend our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones. May the Almighty Allah grant the departed eternal rest and give their families the fortitude to bear this painful loss,” the statement said.
The Forum urged the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, in collaboration with the Borno State Government, to take immediate action in four areas.
It asked the government to dispatch NCDC rapid response teams, clinicians, and adequate supplies of IV fluids, ORS, and antibiotics to overwhelmed treatment centers; and accelerate the rollout of oral cholera vaccines to MMC, Jere, Mafa, Konduga, Monguno, Ngala, and Magumeri, prioritizing IDP camps and flood-prone communities.
The Forum also called for the provision of emergency potable water, water treatment tablets, and sanitation facilities, adding that the government should launch an aggressive campaign against open defecation and poor waste disposal, especially as the rainy season increases contamination risks.
Similarly, it suggested intensifying community sensitization on hand hygiene, safe food preparation, and early reporting of symptoms to health facilities.
The NSF commended the Borno State Ministry of Health and partners including WHO, UNICEF, and MSF for their ongoing response efforts.
It, however, urged the Federal Government to provide “all necessary resources to contain this outbreak before the rainy season worsens it.”
“The health and safety of our pople must remain our collective priority,” Senator Yar’Adua stated.
