From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
No fewer than one hundred people have died out of the 5,000 cases of cholera recorded in Jigawa state, since the disease outbreak, barely one month ago.
The Permanent Secretary Jigawa State Ministry of health, Dr. Salisu Mu’azu confirmed the figure while speaking to newsmen yesterday in Dutse.
He said: “As of last Sunday we have recorded over 100 death, 5,000 cases while currently over 251 admitted at various heath facilities as result of Outbreak in 19 out of 27 local government in the state”.
Mu’azu, who related the causes of the outbreak with use of Conterminated water, vegetables foods supply from river bank and lack of health seeking behaviours by the people said, government already take measures to control the outbreak.
According to him, out of 19 affected local government, Hadeja local government recorded the highest number of cases followed by others local governments.
While speaking on measures to control the outbreak, the permanent secretary said, Jigawa state government with support from Unicef and Lafiya program formed a rapid response team desperse across three zones in the state.
He said the state government opened an isolation centres in Hadejia, Gwaram and embarked on training surveillance, community awareness, establishment of treatment centres and spraying the communities.
When our reporter visited some part of the affected communities such as Zareku town area of Miga local government, it was learnt that between Friday night and Saturday eight people died as a result of the disease.
Confirming the incident, a medical staff in Zareku primary healthcare centre (name with held) explained that the incident started on Thursday night and persist on Friday were five people died in the same day.
“We recorded the death of eight people, seven female and one male whom died as a result of cholera diseases in this town of Zareku” he said.
He maintained that, from the commencement of the outbreak about, 268 suspected cases was recorded while 145 cases admitted into the healthcare centre.
The medical staff, who called for more help to dounce the situation seeks for more protection equipments and medicines for the patients.
A relative to some of the deceased persons, Hassan Galadima disclosed that he lost two sisters to Cholera, within few hours.
Galadima said:” I lost my 16 years old younger sister Adama Galadima, a day after I lost my elder brother’s wife who is 36 years old, adding that as I’m speaking to you now the son of the deceased wife is also hospitalised”.
Also speaking to news men, the village head of Zareku town Malam Abdulqadir Ibrahim, confirmed the incident, adding that “ I have never seen a similar disaster where five people died in the same time like this one throughout my life in this town”.
