The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says it registered 63 deaths and 2102 suspected cases in the ongoing cholera epidemic nationwide.

The centre’s director-general, Jide Idris, said this during a news conference on the cholera situation on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr Idris said that as of June 30, Nigeria recorded 2,102 suspected cholera cases and 63 deaths across 33 states and 122 local government areas, with a case fatality rate of 3.0 per cent.

The NCDC boss said the top 10 affected states are Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Delta, seven of which are in the south.

He said that the National Cholera Multisectoral Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), activated for the crisis, comprised subject matter experts who coordinate the response, ensuring effective resource mobilisation, surveillance, case management, and community engagement.

Mr Idris said the measures aim to enhance diagnostic capacity, treatment, and public awareness.

“Such activities include assessments in 22 hotspot states, distribution of medical supplies, technical support, training programmes and public health advisories,” he said.

The NCDC boss said that despite strong political support and efforts, challenges like open defecation, inadequate toilet facilities, poor water and sanitation, waste management issues, and weak regulatory practices persisted.

He added that the impact of climate change and flooding exacerbated the cholera situation and that efforts were ongoing to combat the outbreak.

“Only 123 (16 per cent) of 774 LGAs in Nigeria are open defecation-free, with Jigawa as the only open defecation-free state in Nigeria. More than 48 million Nigerians practice open defecation,” he said.

According to him, 11 per cent of schools, six per cent of health facilities, four per cent of motor parks, and markets have access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene services.

He listed its causes as poor waste management practices, poor food, environmental, and personal hygiene practices, and a capacity gap among healthcare workers at the state and LGA levels.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, said the cholera outbreak came as a stark reminder that when the country failed to prioritise environmental sanitation, public health would be jeopardised and the economy would be affected.

According to him, the combination of climate change and poor sanitation poses a double threat to the health of the planet and all its creatures.

(NAN)