The United Nations, on Monday, raised an alarm over the number of cholera cases and deaths in Nigeria, as it blamed the 3,604 deaths in 2021 on the country’s high level of unpreparedness.
It disclosed this at a training workshop on cholera prevention, preparedness and response for members of the National and State Water Sanitation and Hygiene in Emergency Technical Working Group.
The training was organised in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in partnership with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.
The ministry stated that the number of cholera cases reported nationally in 2021 was 111,062, with 3,604 deaths in 425 local government areas of 33 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Reacting to this, the representative of the UN, Oumar Doumbouya, said the number of deaths showed that Nigeria was really unprepared to tackle the disease.
He said, “For us, 2021 was a year that showed all that we were really not prepared in terms of responding to cholera. We have to see this as a fact and a challenge for us to really reflect on how we can do better.
“The fact is that more than 3,600 people died of cholera. This is really very far when compared to the number of people who died from COVID-19.
“Why? COVID-19 got all the political eagerness to halt it. But cholera is still killing people and I think there should be a lot more to be done.”
Doumbouya noted that the training was to look into why this happened and how stakeholders could prevent it from happening in 2022.
He said, “We all know that the rainy season will start by April or May, and we know that cholera starts happening around this same period.
“So, we just need to be prepared and this is why we called for this training to review our preparedness and contingency plans, and how much budget is allocated to the response against cholera from different states.”
On his part, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, noted that in 2021, Nigeria reported cholera outbreaks across the country that exceeded the number of cases reported in 2020.
Adamu, who was represented by a director in his ministry, Emmanuel Awe, said, “The number of cases reported nationally in 2021 was 111,062 with 3,604 deaths. It is important to note that cholera cases were reported in 425 LGAs, covering 33 states and the FCT.”
