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The Chief Executive Officer of the Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, Dr. Sania Nishtar, has disclosed that cholera vaccines are on the way to Nigeria and aim to mitigate the severe and persistent disease outbreak.
Earlier on June 27, 2024, Nishatar expressed concern over the cholera outbreak in Nigeria and the readiness of the organization to assist the country in its response efforts, including providing emergency vaccine doses as necessary.
ADULAWO NEWS reports that Cholera, a highly contagious disease transmitted through contaminated water and food, is caused by ingesting the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
The primary factors contributing to the outbreak include the consumption of contaminated water and poor sanitation, further intensified by the rainy season, leading to an increase in cholera cases due to flooding and the contamination of water sources.
As of July 15, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has documented 3,623 suspected cholera cases and 103 fatalities across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The outbreak has expanded to 187 Local Government Areas, with a case fatality rate of 2.8 per cent since the start of the year.
Dr Jide Idris, the Director-General of the NCDC, noted that the most affected age group is five years old, with males representing 52 per cent of the cases and females representing 48 per cent.
He also mentioned a 5.6 per cent decrease in the number of cases reported in the current week (July 8 – 14) compared to the previous week.
However, in a post via her official X handle on Thursday, Nishtar wrote: “Encouraged to learn that #Cholera vaccines from the #Gavi-funded global vaccine stockpile will soon arrive in Nigeria to help curb the country’s deadly and ongoing outbreak. We stand ready to work with our partners #UNICEF and #WHO to support Minister #muhammadpate, #Fmohnigeria, and #NCDCgov’s timely efforts to contain this outbreak and protect those at the highest risk.
“Despite the large number of cholera outbreaks this year, our stockpile is now fully replenished, and production continues at maximum capacity. We hope to keep supporting cholera-affected countries with their control plans. #stopcholera.”
In his response, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, thanked Gavi’s CEO for facilitating the vaccines.
Pate wrote: “Thanks #SaniaNishtar for facilitating our early access to #gavi-funded #Cholera vaccines. We will deploy the vaccines efficiently and effectively in response to the ongoing outbreak.
“Thanks also to President Tinubu #officialABAT for his astute leadership in setting up a multi-sector cabinet committee to support the Emergence Operations Centre led by #NCDCgov to work with our 36 states in a national response to the outbreak. We are seeing early signs of slowing down but we’ll not relent as the situation can reverse. So, the cholera vaccines strengthen our hands.”
Furthermore, the Minister has confirmed that the Federal Government is intensifying its endeavours to enhance the water and sanitation conditions within the nation.
Presently, there exist three oral cholera vaccines that have been pre-qualified by the World Health Organization: Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol.
It is important to note that these vaccines necessitate the administration of two doses for comprehensive protection.