THE Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said cholera cases have declined significantly from their peak earlier this year but warned that transmission remains ongoing across the country.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing on the current cholera and diphtheria outbreaks in Nigeria.
News Point Nigeria reports that Idris said more than 65,000 suspected cholera cases had been recorded across 35 states and about 195 Local Government Areas (LGAs) this year.
He, however, said the proportion of reported cholera cases resulting in death was considerably lower than at the same period last year.
“This is important progress. But I want to be very clear: the outbreak is not over,” Idris said.
He warned that cholera transmission could increase between late August and October, noting that the ongoing rainy season and flooding could heighten the risk of contaminated water sources and disrupted sanitation systems.
According to him, early access to treatment had contributed to better outcomes, particularly in Borno State, which has recorded the majority of the cases this year.
“In Borno State, where the majority of this year’s cases have occurred, outcomes have been better where treatment has been brought closer to affected communities. We are also seeing better outcomes among people who seek care early,” he said.
The NCDC boss, however, stressed that treatment alone could not end cholera transmission.
“But the data are telling us something equally important: while treatment saves lives, we cannot treat our way out of cholera,” he said.
He identified unsafe water, open defecation, damaged water distribution systems and inadequate sanitation and hygiene infrastructure in public places as some of the conditions contributing to the continued risk of transmission.
Idris said sustained action on water, sanitation and hygiene was therefore necessary to prevent repeated outbreaks.
On diphtheria, the NCDC director-general said Nigeria had recorded more than 10,000 confirmed cases this year.
He said although the number remained substantial, the proportion of confirmed cases resulting in death had declined considerably compared with the same period last year.
“While this remains a substantial burden, we have seen an important improvement: the proportion of confirmed cases resulting in death has declined considerably compared with the same period last year,” Idris said.
He said most confirmed cases were concentrated in Kano, Borno and Bauchi states.
Idris attributed the continuing burden partly to gaps in vaccination coverage, particularly among children who are unvaccinated or have not completed their recommended doses.
He said insecurity, hard-to-reach communities, displacement and population movement were among the factors making it difficult to reach all eligible children.
“It is important to emphasise again that diphtheria is vaccine-preventable,” he said.
“Bringing transmission under control therefore requires improved vaccination coverage and reaching every eligible child who has missed a vaccine dose.”
Idris said the NCDC was coordinating the public health response with state governments and development partners, while strengthening surveillance and laboratory capacity and supporting healthcare workers on case management and infection prevention and control.
He said National Rapid Response Teams had also been deployed to affected states when necessary to support investigations and response activities.
On cholera, he said the response included improving access to treatment, investigating transmission sources, assessing water supply points and addressing water, sanitation and hygiene gaps.
“In Borno, our teams have investigated transmission sources and assessed water supply points, helping to identify gaps in water quality, sanitation and chlorination,” he said.
He added that in Bauchi State, oral rehydration points had been established, treatment capacity strengthened and active case searches intensified.
According to him, oral cholera vaccination had also been implemented in high-burden areas, alongside water chlorination, rehabilitation of water sources and hygiene promotion.
For diphtheria, Idris said the response was focused on increasing vaccination coverage and ensuring rapid identification and management of cases.
He said reactive vaccination was being conducted in affected areas, while essential treatment and laboratory commodities were being provided.
The NCDC chief called on state and local governments to intensify efforts to control the outbreaks.
He urged them to identify high-risk communities and direct available human, material and financial resources towards areas where they are most needed.
“For cholera specifically, this means improving access to safe water and sanitation, strengthening water-quality monitoring, repairing critical water infrastructure, addressing open defecation, and ensuring that high-risk Local Government Areas have functional treatment and rapid response capacity,” he said.
For diphtheria, he urged governments to strengthen routine and targeted immunisation, identify communities with low vaccination coverage and reach children who had missed their routine doses.
Idris also urged healthcare workers to promptly recognise, report and appropriately manage suspected cases of both diseases.
For cholera, he said dehydration must be assessed and treated without delay.
“Dehydration should be assessed promptly and appropriate treatment commenced without delay, because it is dehydration that kills,” he said.
He also urged health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for diphtheria, promptly report suspected cases and ensure appropriate management.
He called on health facility managers to maintain functional triage and isolation systems, provide personal protective equipment and hand hygiene facilities, and ensure prompt notification and referral of suspected cases.