- The report revealed that emergency response teams have been deployed to hotspot areas while surveillance
- According to the NCDC, health officials are carrying out active case searches in affected communities
- The NCDC also pointed to surveillance gaps at the local government level, inconsistencies in data reporting
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has expressed concern over the growing politicisation of cholera outbreaks in parts of the country, warning that such developments could undermine efforts to contain the disease.
In its latest situation report, Eko Hot Blog reports that the agency identified political interference among several factors complicating the ongoing response to cholera outbreaks across affected states.
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The report revealed that emergency response teams have been deployed to hotspot areas while surveillance, laboratory testing, case management, water sanitation, and public awareness campaigns continue nationwide.
According to the NCDC, health officials are carrying out active case searches in affected communities, providing both remote and field support to state response teams, and strengthening data management through the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS).
The agency noted that a specialised case search team had been sent to Kano State, while laboratory support is being coordinated through the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and the Central Public Health Laboratory in Lagos.
Health workers have also received training on sample collection, rapid diagnostic testing, and laboratory procedures to improve case detection and confirmation.
To improve patient care, the NCDC said healthcare personnel in several states have undergone training in cholera treatment, infection prevention, and control measures.
Treatment guidelines and infection prevention materials have also been distributed to health facilities, while additional training has been provided for Cholera Treatment Unit personnel in Niger State.
On water and sanitation interventions, the agency disclosed that boreholes had been constructed or rehabilitated in Benue, Edo, Adamawa, and Nasarawa states.
It added that more than 100 water sources were chlorinated in Adamawa, while hygiene promotion activities had reached over 12,000 residents in vulnerable communities.
The NCDC further stated that essential response materials were being supplied continuously to affected states and that disease trends were being closely monitored to determine locations that may require oral cholera vaccination campaigns.
Despite these efforts, the agency highlighted several challenges threatening outbreak control. Among them are inadequate access to safe drinking water, delayed diagnosis and reporting of cases, shortages of critical medical supplies, weak surveillance systems, and funding constraints.
The report identified poor access to clean water as the leading factor sustaining transmission, particularly in parts of Maiduguri and Jere, where residents continue to rely on unsafe water sources.
The agency also warned that delays in recognising and reporting cholera cases have contributed to the spread of the disease, while many patients arrive at treatment centres only after developing severe complications, increasing the risk of preventable deaths.
In addition, shortages of essential treatment materials, including intravenous fluids, have placed pressure on healthcare facilities, although emergency resupply measures are underway.
The NCDC also pointed to surveillance gaps at the local government level, inconsistencies in data reporting, and limited laboratory capacity as obstacles to effective outbreak monitoring and response.
Security challenges in some communities have further restricted access to healthcare services and emergency interventions, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, while inadequate funding continues to limit the scale of response activities in some states.
Nigeria experiences cholera outbreaks almost every year, largely due to inadequate water supply, poor sanitation infrastructure, and weak hygiene practices.
The disease, caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, spreads through contaminated food and water and can become fatal within a short period if treatment is delayed.
Public health experts continue to stress that while emergency interventions are necessary during outbreaks, lasting solutions will depend on sustained investments in clean water, sanitation facilities, and stronger healthcare systems.
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