From 2009 to date, Borno State has experienced recurrent outbreaks of cholera, the year 2024 has recorded more than 450 suspected cases with 128 RDT positive and 17 cultures positive for Vibrio Cholera since September 2024.
The outbreak, declared by the Commissioner for Health and Humanitarian Services on October 4th, 2024, had the government, alongside the technical and financial partners, rallying for an emergency response.
To this end, the state has received many responses from governments and development partners, including the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, which presented 30 Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) kits (90 units) and 50 cholera beds to the most affected LGAs in Borno State, which are Jere, Konduga, Mafa, and Monguno. However, no deaths have been reported.
The Deputy Representative, of UNICEF Nigeria, Dr. Rownak Khan made this known in response to the Cholera situation in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
Other key activities supported according to Dr Khan are, ' the prevention and management of the disease through risk communication, hygiene promotion, safe water supply, cholera vaccination, chlorination of water sources, construction of emergency latrines and case management services '.
Furthermore on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), ' Over 13,750 people were reached with safe means of disposing of feces by constructing 245 emergency latrines installed in Bakassi, Teachers Village (TV), Yerwa GGSS and Gubio Road IDP Camps '. he explained.
The UNICEF boss noted, ' construction of additional 30 emergency latrines is ongoing and expected to be completed soon in Gubio Road IDP Camp, adding that, disinfection of schools and latrine services were supported was carried out by the Government with chlorine support from the organization '.
Hygiene promotion (including WASH Kits Distribution) of 4,461 hygiene and cholera kits were given to households, reaching over 28,243 individuals with hygiene promotion, teaching them how to use latrines, and proper handwashing to prevent the outbreak of diseases in Bakassi, TV, Dalori, Asheik Jarma, Gubio, Zajiri, and Yerwa.
In the area of Water Supply, the statement said, a total of 43,689 people were reached with safe water supply in Yerwa, TV IDP, Bakassi, Asheikh Jarma, and Gubio Road 400 Housing Estate Camps through emergency water trucking and rehabilitation of existing boreholes at the sites, nothing that, Water trucking is ongoing in all the three remaining camps – Teachers Village, Bakassi, and Gubio'. Khan
The Health, Social and Behavioural Change activities were coordinated by UNICEF because it is an active member of the technical working group in Borno State, stressing that, ' the health support is in all the strategic pillars of the incident action plan for cholera response.
He said, that at least 54 health technicians and support staff were deployed to the IDP camps for health outreach interventions, and that enhanced the opportunity for surveillance and timely detection of cases, transfer, and supervision.
300,000 doses of cholera vaccines were received by the Borno State Government from the Federal Ministry of Health with UNICEF support, pointing out that, ' about 290,000 persons at risk (in IDP camps and flooded communities) were vaccinated. 669,374 while expecting additional doses.
He stated that equipment, materials, drugs and consumables, and other cholera-specific kits have been handed over, and given financial support, While activities are reinforced in the communities by volunteers supported by UNICEF.
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