CHOLERA KILLS 7 IN JIGAWA

From LAMARA GARBA, Dutse
Posted: Monday, September 6, 2010

ATLEAST seven people were confirmed dead following an outbreak of cholera in some local governments in Jigawa state, Health Commissioner, Dr. Ibrahim Nashabaru, has confirmed. However, unconfirmed sources put the death figure at over 50 in the affected areas as it spilled over to other places across the state. Residents of the areas told reporters that many more casualties are being recorded by the day.
While confirming the outbreak, the Commissioner said that, “there are some isolated cases of the cholera infection at the border towns of Bauchi that spilled into Jigawa state”.
 The affected areas include Birnin Kudu, Gwaram and Buji local government areas of the state in which five persons died in Buji and the two others at Gwaram Local Government respectively.
The commissioner announced that the situation had been contained and that government has  provided medical assistance to the affected victims in the areas together with massive sensitisation campaigns at various places of worships on preventive measures to be taken by the people.
  A man who lost his child as a result of the outbreak, Malam Habu disclosed that many deaths were not recorded by the government, explaining that it will be difficult to quote any figure by the authorities. 
He said there are several other deaths from the same symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting at other houses that eventually resulted in the death of their victims, but expressed dismay that the local government Chairman only gave the state government team that came to verify the case some false figure.
 “Initially, when we noticed that people were dying, we went and complained to the Chairman about what is happening in our community, but he told us that the government will not be happy with us if it found out that the sickness was as a result of lack of hygiene”, said Mallam Habu.
 When contacted after confirming the outbreak from the Commissioner of Health, the local Government Chairman, Alhaji Isa Bello Gwadayi denied the outbreak, insisting that his council has not experienced any single case of cholera outbreak in the area.
 “If the commissioner told you so then so be it, but I am categorically telling you that I am neither aware of any single case of cholera outbreak in Buji and its environ.
Meanwhile, other cases of cholera outbreak have been recorded at Hadejia where undisclosed number of deaths have also been recorded.  
However, the Health Commissioner said the outbreaks were spill over from Bauchi, and assured that there is no cause for alarm as the situation has been under firm control.