The Nasarawa State government has revealed that no fewer than 800 persons were infected with cholera since the year began, across the 13 local government areas of the State.
Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Alhassan, made the disclosure while speaking with our correspondent in Lafia.
He explained that out of the 800 confirmed cases, some of the patients have been treated and discharged from health facilities across the state.
Alhassan said, “We have recorded 800 cases of cholera this year. Out of the number, some of them have been discharged. We have not been able to arrest the situation completely because some residents of the state are still practicing open defecation which is one of the primary causes of the disease.
“But we are taking strategic measures aimed at creating awareness on the danger of the disease so that citizens of the state will take the issue of hygiene very seriously.”
He further said that the health ministry was going to convey a multi-sectoral meeting with some ministries and government parastatals in order to come up with measures that will help to address the scourge in the state.
“Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated so because of that we will soon have a meeting with government establishments in the state and some other health experts so that we can find solutions to the issue at hand,” Alhassan added.
