Kogi has recorded two confirmed cases of cholera becoming one of the six states in Nigeria with cholera outbreak.
The State Commissioner for Health, Mr Abdullazeez Adam told this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja..
According to him, two cholera cases were confirmed of which one has been discharged. Other one is doing well on treatment.
Adams said that he was aware that 31 states including FCT, Abuja have epidemic level of Cholera in the country, which is of public health importance; meaning the remaining six states may have it but not to epidemic level.
“As far as Kogi is concerned, we had only two cases of cholera, you know until people report it, then samples are taken for test and confirmation obtained by undergoing culture in the laboratory.
“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.
On measures taken by the state government to address the situation in the state, he said 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 said.
Adam urged the public to report any suspected case of Cholera and maintain good hygiene, saying,”this is because Cholera is basically about good hygiene.
“Again, before now, we have 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.”.
According to him, they have been sensitizing and enlightening our people on the need for them to keep good hygiene by living in clean environments, drinking potable water, and avoiding open defecation.
The commissioner 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 had 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,” he said.
The commissioner added: “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.”
