The United Nations said it would require $9.9 million to effectively respond to the outbreak of cholera in the North East as well as to prevent further spread to other areas. The United Nations Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Peter Lundberg made the disclosure on Monday while interacting with newsmen. He warned that the various camps in the region were congested thus heightening possible spread of the epidemic.
“The clock is ticking. The camps for displaced persons are congested; there is not enough water, sanitation facilities are poor, and the health care system is weak. We must tackle this urgently to avoid preventable suffering and loss of life.”
He disclosed that 44 people have so far been killed since the first incident was recorded on August 16, while over 2, 300 other cases were being managed at relevant centres.
Meanwhile, Lundberg said the UN is currently supporting efforts by the Borno state government to manage the outbreak of the epidemic especially across the four specialized treatment centres put in place to handle severe cases and other centres for milder cases. He also said sensitization campaigns and fumigation of the areas prone to the outbreak were ongoing.
He warned that if robust efforts were not put in place to effectively contain the spread, millions of people would be at risk.
"The implications of not responding in a timely manner could be absolutely devastating for millions of conflict-affected women, children and men who are already living in very dire conditions.”
