By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Honourable Commissioner for the Ministry of Primary Healthcare, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, has calle...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Honourable Commissioner for the Ministry of Primary Healthcare, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, has called for coordinated efforts among state actors and stakeholders in response to the ongoing cholera outbreak in Niger State.
Dr. Dangana made this call during the Stakeholders/Epidemic Preparedness and Response Committee meeting held at the Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health in Minna.
He emphasized the importance of a multi-sectoral approach, stating that tackling an epidemic like cholera goes beyond the health sector. He disclosed that the Ministry of Health had activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), intensified disease surveillance across all 25 local government areas, deployed health workers to communities, and ensured the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to safeguard frontline health workers.
Dr. Dangana noted that cholera is primarily transmitted through poor hygiene and contaminated water sources, urging immediate public sensitization to promote improved hygiene practices and food safety, particularly among food handlers. He also warned that many cholera patients may not show symptoms, which complicates efforts to curb the spread.
Highlighting the global shortage of cholera vaccines, Dr. Dangana stressed that preventive measures—such as drinking clean water and maintaining good hygiene—remain the most effective safeguards against the disease.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Abdullahi Imam, said the meeting was aimed at mobilizing logistical support and activating underutilized response systems. He called for sustained periodic engagements among stakeholders to strengthen outbreak response mechanisms.
Similarly, Dr. Mohammed Gana, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Primary Healthcare, underscored the need for synergy among government agencies and stakeholders. He warned of cholera’s deadly nature and urged the public to always drink safe water and maintain proper hygiene.
Contributing to the discussion, the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Water Resources, Akilu Musa, and the Ministry of Digital Economy (overseeing Environment and Climate Change), Musa Abubakar Sadiq, expressed their readiness to support the response efforts. However, they also highlighted funding constraints as a major challenge to effective intervention.
Dr. Mustapha Mustapha Makanta provided an overview of cholera, its modes of transmission, global trends, and treatment protocols. He revealed that as of epidemiological week 28, Niger State had recorded 150 suspected cases and 10 deaths in 2025, bringing the total to 319 suspected cases, 277 recoveries, and 26 deaths since January.
Makanta identified lack of potable water, open defecation, poor hygiene practices, and inadequate grassroots advocacy as key challenges worsening the outbreak.
On its part, the Ministry of Information and Strategy, through its Director of Information, Halima Bawa, reported that the ministry had commenced community sensitization campaigns to promote preventive hygiene practices.
Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF also updated stakeholders on their contributions, including the distribution of cholera kits, and plans to support house-to-house sensitization, especially targeting schools. They pledged continued collaboration to enhance case management and response coordination.
Key recommendations from the meeting included mobilizing more resources for outbreak interventions, enforcing laws against open defecation, increasing public awareness campaigns, and establishing treatment centers at primary healthcare facilities across all local governments and the Old Airport Clinic in Minna.
The joint effort reflects the state’s renewed commitment to eradicating cholera and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of its citizens.
No comments