Tuesday, July 2, 2024 -Kogi has recorded only two confirmed cases, making it one of the 6 states in Nigeria to have low infection rates of the disease.
Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Mr
Abdullazeez Adam, disclosed this in Lokoja, saying one victim has already been
treated and discharged while the other victim ''is doing well on
treatment.”
Adam said that he was aware that 31 states,
including FCT, Abuja had an epidemic level of Cholera, meaning the remaining
six states may have, but not to an epidemic level.
“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, ” he said.“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 said.
“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.”.
”And, as such drastic measures have been taken to discourage people from open
defecation to help stop 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,” he said.
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