The Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Abdullazeez Adam, has said that the government is fully alert to combat cholera which has been ravaging some states in the country for the past couple of months.
He told newsmen in Lokoja, the state capital that so far, only two cases have been confirmed with one victim treated and discharged.
“The other victim is doing well on treatment.
“As far as Kogi is concerned, we had only two cases of cholera. Until people report it, samples taken for test and confirmation obtained by undergoing culture in the laboratory, we may not know the other cases.
“If we want to know the type, samples must be taken and sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Abuja.
“As earlier mentioned, as for the recent Cholera outbreak in the country, up until Wednesday, June 26, we had just one recorded case, which is counted.
“If it’s not reported, one can’t say there’s any. Unreported case, means, when someone is sick and is stooling, yet have not gone to hospital or any health facility but resolved to taking ORS or drugs while at home, it can’t be counted.
“If it’s suspected, reported and confirmed, then it can be counted as a case, else it won’t.
“Those cases they have in Lagos and FCT, Abuja, were reported and confirmed cases in health facilities and hospitals.”
The Commissioner said that drastic measures have been taken to ensure that the disease is brought under control.
“Thank God here in Kogi, we have Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all our wards in the 21 local government areas,
”They are always on alert to report any case of disease outbreak to the appropriate quarters.
“We also have jingles that are ongoing on Radio and Television (TV) stations, Handbills with messages in the three dominant tribes in the state including Hausa and English languages.”
He advised members of the public to report any suspected case of Cholera and maintain good hygiene.
“Before now, we had trained people on how to identify cases that can be termed epidemic, because Lassa Fever dealt with us recently.
”Kogi was among states with Lassa Fever cases, so we trained people on how to identify such diseases or any outbreak at any time to the appropriate quarters.
“We have medical consumables on reserve in our Drug Central Medical Store ready for deployment to places in need in time of outbreaks.
”Just recently, the Federal Government, through the NCDC, sent some drugs to us to help address any such cases of Cholera outbreak in the state. They are well kept in our Drug Central Medical Store for distribution when necessary.”
The Commissioner said that state health officials have been sensitising and enlightening people on the need for them to keep good hygiene by living in clean environments, drinking potable water, and avoiding open defecation.
He said that the government had come to realize that open defecation, bad drinking water and dirty environments are main causes of Cholera.
”And, as such drastic measures have been taken to discourage people from open defecation to health ward ward the outbreak of Cholera and other diseases amongst our populace.
“Our health officers are always out, monitoring people’s houses to ensure that those of them that have no toilets must provide one for the people living there.
“We believe these measures would go a long way at ensuring healthy living amongst our people. Health, they say, is wealth, more so that prevention is better than cure.
“I can generally conclude that though Kogi is fully prepared to deal with the Cholera disease, we have but just one case as we speak.”
