At least 20 persons have died in a recent cholera outbreak
that has affected 10 communities in Andoni Local
Government Area of Rivers State.
It was gathered that some indigenes of the area, who had
been vomiting and stooling for the past one week, were
rushed to the nearest clinics in the area.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker,
who learnt of the outbreak on Wednesday, ordered an
immediate supply of potable water to the affected
communities in the area.
Confirming that the disease has claimed 20 lives, Parker
gave the directive on Wednesday after visiting some of
those affected by the cholera outbreak.
He disclosed that 170 patients were still receiving treatment,
adding that officials of the World Health Organisation and
the Federal Ministry of Health have arrived at the affected
communities to assist victims.
The Health commissioner disclosed that the local
government area Rapid Response Team and the State
Emergency Response team were also on the ground to
tackle the health challenge in the area, adding that two
treatment centres had been set up in Ebukuma and Okolile
communities.
Parker, however, told the people of the area that the
situation was under control, promising that boreholes would
be sunk in the area as part of measures to combat the
spread of the disease.
Also, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Andoni Local
Government Area, Mr. Emmanue Okot, said the cholera
outbreak, which began in November last year, affected 10
communities in the area.
Okot explained that the local government had tackled the
disease, expressing surprise that it (cholera) spread to other
communities in January 2015.
“It involves about 10 communities and immediately we got
the information, we swung into action. The disease did not
just start this January, It started in the later part of last year
and we went to the area concerned, handled it and
everything ended.
“Later on, the thing (cholera) moved to other communities.
Actually, it started around Nwiyata axis and up to Ndema
area. We handled it early and everything subsided. Then
around December (2014), it now started at Ukwa, then it
moved to Nyandela,” he said.
Disclosing that many of the victims of the cholera outbreak
in the area were mostly children, Okot called on the state
and federal governments, donor agencies and relevant non-
governmental organisations to come to the aid of the local
government area.
The council chairman expressed gratitude to the
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in
the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, for distributing relief
materials to those affected by the cholera outbreak. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL AND TOUCHING NIGERIAN CELEBRITIES BIOGRAPHY AND SCANDALS
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