Cholera kills 60 in Bauchi

The casualty figures following cholera outbreak in Bauchi State since January this year have risen to 60.

The Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Agency in the state, Dr. Nisser Umar, while speaking to our correspondent, said  two months ago, said that only 10 people had died and 61 others infected since the outbreak of the disease.

He also said that of the total number of those infected, 31 were almajiri children assuring that the state government was on top of the situation.

But the Bauchi State Government on Thursday said that 60 persons have so far been killed, while 1, 000 others had been infected since the outbreak of the disease nearly four months ago.

The Bauchi State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Sani Abubakar Malami, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday at a press conference held at the Government House, Bauchi.

He explained that 55 of this number died in there homes while the remaining five died in the hospital.

Malami disclosed that health workers immediately sent across the state to encourage those were infected with the disease but were hiding to visit the hospital to seek for help.

“This year,” according to the health commissioner, “cholera hit the state in a big way and as a result, over 60 persons are believed to have been killed by the deadly disease.

“About 55 of those who lost their lives died as a result of their refusal to visit the hospital for medical attention. Only five of the casualties died in the hospital but the remaining ones refused to seek for help.

“Government’s quick intervention resulted in the deployment of 2,000 health workers across the state to talk to the people and sensitise them on the need for them to keep their environment clean and to also visit health facilities in their localities for prompt medical attention when they notice signs of cholera.”

Malami further said that as a result of the awareness campaign carried out by the government, over 1, 000 patients of cholera visited various hospitals and were treated.

The commissioner also said that the state government chlorinated over 15, 000 wells across the 20 local government areas of the state to prevent any spread to areas not yet affected by the killer-disease.