AS CHOLERA CONTINUES TO KILL…

All stakeholders must do more to contain the scourge

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has released a new report on the cholera outbreak in Borno State, documenting more than 4,000 suspected cases and 39 deaths across seven local government areas. The Borno State government reports that over 3,000 people have been affected, with 37 lives already lost. A few weeks ago, NCDC Director‑General Jide Idris warned that the country had entered the seasonal window when cholera cases historically surge, noting that early surveillance data already show increasing infections in several states. “These forecasts are particularly concerning because they coincide with the period when cholera transmission typically accelerates,” Idris said. “Flooding can contaminate water sources and disrupt sanitation systems, creating conditions for rapid spread.”

For more than four decades, cholera has been a recurring disease in Nigeria, claiming thousands of lives, especially among children. The disease is primarily contracted through drinking contaminated water and consuming food that has been exposed to waste, often leading to severe infection of the small intestine. The persistence of cholera in this age group highlights serious shortcomings in the country’s public health infrastructure. In many rural areas, villagers rely on streams as their sole source of drinking water, with inadequate waste disposal facilities. Often, stagnant water is used for washing clothes and other household items.

The situation is further aggravated where modern medical facilities are scarce. Cholera spreads more readily in environments that are not clean, where water systems are untreated, and where sanitation is neglected. According to the NCDC, open defecation is common in affected communities, and there is a lack of adequate WASH infrastructure and wastewater management facilities.

Effective coordination can contain the disease quickly, but the real challenge is eradicating it from Nigeria, as has been achieved in many other countries. More surveillance, greater public awareness, increased resourcing, and better coordination are necessary to reduce deaths from cholera and other preventable diseases. The World Health Organization has consistently stressed that no human should die from preventable diseases like cholera. Public education on healthy living is urgently needed. Experts advise that people keep food—whether cooked or uncooked—properly covered and practice regular handwashing at all times.

Cholera kills when a person loses too much body fluid; such deaths are preventable if victims receive rapid rehydration. While no vaccine is available, oral rehydration salts (ORS) are commonly used as part of treatment protocols. However, prevention remains far more effective than cure. Rural dwellers and the urban poor should be taught basic hygiene practices.

The world has largely moved beyond the era when cholera claimed citizens’ lives. The continued outbreaks in Nigeria signal serious deficiencies in healthcare delivery. Health officials and other key stakeholders must therefore do more to provide adequate clean water, especially in rural areas.