The World Health Organization (WHO) says it has stepped up efforts toward containing the outbreak of Cholera in Borno state as well as neighboring states in the North East. The Country Representative of WHO, Wondi Alimu made this known on Friday when he visited the Muna Garage Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
The Country Representative stated that since WHO anticipated the outbreak of the epidemic in May, adequate arrangements were made to contain it. He said the outbreak was caused by poor sanitary condition as well as congestion across the various IDP camps in the region.
He disclosed that currently, WHO had deployed many medical personnel and relevant drug to the affected areas to effectively contain the disease and treat those affected by the outbreak. Alimu further hinted that the Organization was carrying out surveillance to detect new cases and to educate the people on how to prevent or control the spread of the disease.
According to him “the protection rate is about 60 to 65 per cent but what is critical is the intervention. We are also involved in sensitization, sanitation and fumigation of critical affected areas.”
Recall that the Ministry of Health had announced the outbreak of cholera in Maiduguri, Monguno and Dikwa local Government areas of Borno. The Ministry also disclosed that 48 person had already been killed by the outbreak while 2, 000 cases were being handled.
