Bauchi — About 1,742 persons have been infected by cholera in Bauchi State, while others had died from the disease in last eight weeks.
This was revealed by the Chief Medical Director, Primary Healthcare, Dr. Musa Muhammad, while briefing journalists in his office yesterday in Bauchi.
According to him, Bauchi Local Government Area has the highest number of casualites with 1,368 cases and 31 deaths, followed by Ganjuwa Local Government with 284 cases and 20 deaths.
Other local governments affected included Shira, Tafawa Balewa and Toro local government areas which have between 10 to 13 patients.
The Director revealed that to curb the epidemic, government had embarked on public enlightenment, and advice on what measures to take if affected by the disease.
Other measures taken included appealing to Imams to include the enlightenment approach in their preachings, especially during this fasting period.
He advised residents to improve on their hygiene by boiling water before drinking it and washing vegetables and fruits properly before consuming them.
Dr. Musa further warned that managing the disease at home only harbours the spread of the disease. “You cannot manage cholera at home no matter how subtle the symptoms are, because you cannot prevent people from coming in contact with the waste products passed by a sufferer of the disease. The best place to manage cholera patients is in the hospital.”
He debunked the allegation that Bauchi State experiences the outbreak every year, adding that the last time the epidemic was experienced in the state was between October/November 2007, as the state ministry of health was doing a lot to prevent its occurrence.
Musa stressed that the group Doctors Without Borders, is doing a lot to save people from the outbreak through the provision of the high quality care given to them.
