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Over 90,000 people infected with Cholera across Nigeria – MSF

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MSF Calls for Agent Scale-Up of Humanitarian Intervention to Avert Severe Malnutrition in Borno

Over 90,000 people infected with Cholera across Nigeria – MSF

By: James Bwala, Maiduguri

About 400km northeast of the Nigerian capital Abuja, a two-year-old Mohammad Sheriff is on the road to recovery from cholera. The child sits with his father in MSF’s cholera treatment centre (CTC) in Bauchi, the capital of one of the states hit hardest by Nigeria’s worst cholera outbreak in a decade.


“He vomited twice and later started having diarrhoea,” says Mohammad’s father, who immediately recognised the symptoms as cholera. “I told his mother that I’d take him to the hospital as we are constantly being informed through the radio that one should immediately go to the hospital when vomiting and diarrhoea starts.”


A statement from Abdulkareem Yakubu, MSF Field Communications Officer on Monday said Cholera is simple to treat in most cases, and people with mild to moderate forms of the disease usually recover through treatment with fluids and oral rehydration solution. Severely dehydrated patients may need to be admitted to a CTC and be given fluids intravenously.

Mohammed’s case was serious, but after two days of receiving medical care in the CTC, he is now in the recovery ward – the last step before being discharged and returning home. “If we had not come when we did, the situation might have been very bad,” his father says.

Over 90,000 people infected with Cholera across Nigeria – MSF


Cholera is endemic in Nigeria, but the outbreak this year has been especially severe, with more than 90,000 people infected so far. While nearly all of Nigeria’s 36 states have reported cholera cases in 2021, the vast majority have been concentrated in the six northern states of Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina.


The population of this region is already extremely vulnerable; hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from their homes by conflict and violence, and most live in conditions with poor sanitation and no safe drinking water.

But the MSF emergency teams working alongside the Nigerian Ministry of Health are trying to bring the spiralling outbreak under control, opening six cholera treatment centres across the region and treating more than 20,000 patients so far.  


In many areas, security poses an additional challenge. In Zamfara state, many patients arrive in a serious or critical condition, having delayed seeking treatment for fear of encountering violence or danger on the roads.


“Vulnerable populations in Nigeria were already in a dire situation,” says Dr Simba Tirima, MSF country representative in Nigeria. “Cholera has added to a complex web of medical and humanitarian vulnerabilities, coming on top of heightened insecurity, a chronic state of acute humanitarian and medical needs, and the direct and secondary impacts of COVID-19.”

Also Read: THE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY FOR A CHANGE  


At the peak of the outbreak in July, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control reported more than 7,500 new cases per week and many medical facilities were at risk of being overwhelmed.


“We had to admit 80 or 90 patients during a single work shift,” says Anas Al-Hassan, a nurse at MSF’s CTC in Kano, where the outbreak spread quickly throughout the community. “There was no time for rest because of the number of patients. The work at that time was overwhelming.”


“The patients would come devastated, their caregivers worried they might not make it,” says Philip Esenwa, MSF medical activity manager for the Nigeria Emergency Response Unit. “Some were so weak that they couldn’t speak.”

“We used to have patients who were brought in dead,” says MSF nurse supervisor Mustapha Mahmud, who also works at Kano CTC.

Over 90,000 people infected with Cholera across Nigeria – MSF


The challenges were immense in cities such as Kano and Bauchi, where many people live in overcrowded conditions, with dilapidated or non-existent sewage systems and no access to clean drinking water. Water sources can easily become contaminated with sewage, especially in the rainy season, causing waterborne diseases such as cholera to spread quickly.


“The areas with high numbers of cholera cases are congested, with no adequate ventilation or proper drainage,” says Mustapha Mahmud. “The sources of water are usually from shallow wells and boreholes; with rainfall, they become contaminated, and that is the water people here drink.”


Many medical facilities in these areas are also poorly equipped and were unable to deal with the surge in patients. Some medical facilities charge for their services, which put treatment out of reach of those who could not afford to pay.

In some states, a one-dose oral vaccine is available to help reduce the spread of the disease. However, global supply is limited and the vaccine is not available in all states. 

Over 90,000 people infected with Cholera across Nigeria – MSF

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NYSC DG tasks Corps members on national unity, development

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NYSC DG tasks Corps members on national unity, development

By, Jamilu Abubakar

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed has tasked Corps members on the collective resolve to sustain vigorous implementation of the scheme’s mandate of fostering national unity, integration and development of Nigeria.

Ahmed stated this in his 2025 New Year message to the Corps members and staff, in a statement by the acting Director, Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu.

The statement further reminded the corps members of the pivotal role of the Scheme in the unity and development of the nation and urged all the serving Corps members to step up more efforts for noble assignments ahead in 2025.

He said: “I want to use this medium to sincerely appreciate your resilience and dogged commitment to duty at your various locations, which culminated in the unprecedented successes we recorded in the year 2024.” The statement said

The statement further added that the scheme was indeed looking ahead, full of optimism that this year will record even greater achievements in our quest to extend the frontiers of development in all the critical sectors of our national economy.

It urged all to step up more efforts for noble assignments ahead, in the collective resolve to sustain vigorous implementation of the Scheme’s mandate of fostering national unity, integration and development of Nigeria, our nation.

“May I also reiterate my commitment to engage relevant stakeholders to increasingly make facilities available, and opportunities for Corps empowerment under the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED).

“I also enjoin all Corps Members to actively participate and maximally utilise them for self-development,” he stated.

The DG equally used the medium to appreciate all the collaborating agencies and stakeholders for their invaluable support and assured them of increased opportunities for more engagements in the New Year.

“Management would continue to improve on our statutory responsibilities to Nigerians by ensuring that NYSC consolidates on its laudable achievements as we look forward to a rewarding and prosperous year 2025,” Ahmed said.

NYSC DG tasks Corps members on national unity, development

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BORNO COMMUNITY PETITIONS POLICE OVER THE RELEASE OF A MURDER SUSPECT BY THE DPO

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BORNO COMMUNITY PETITIONS POLICE OVER THE RELEASE OF A MURDER SUSPECT BY THE DPO

By: Our Correspondent.

The Marama community in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State has petitioned the Commissioner of Police in the state over the release of a murder suspect.

The petition which was written under the auspices of MARAMA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, and obtained by our correspondent, stated that “on the 17th of December, 2024, a security man, (Henry Musa), attached to the Government Secondary School Marama was attacked and fatally wounded by one James Musa in public glare”.

‘The victim,’ according to the petition, was rushed to the General Hospital, Biu, while the culprit was arrested and detained at the Divissional Police Headquaters in Azare Hawul Local Government Area.”

Signed by Mdahyelya Buba Yirngau and Samuel Bwala, Secretary and Chairman of the association, a few days after the attack, community members noticed the culprit moving around freely in the town, while the victim was struggling for survival on the hospital bed,”

They called the command headquaters’ attention to the development according to them because the victim eventually died on the 26th of December, 2024, while the James Musa, the suspect has been re-arrested, but they have reservations about the action of the DPO in Hawul, on the matter, since he has released him before without charges, when he was first arrested.

The community made an appeal to the police authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the release of the suspect, and seeks that the suspect be charged appropriately since the act was undeniable.

While affirming that they community is conscious of the gravity of murder, and covering up this one by the Hawul DPO, for whatever reasons, is a great miscarriage of justice to the victim and the community.

When contacted, the DPO, Habila Lemak CSP, c9nfirmed the development, but claimed that he released the suspect after five days because he refused to eat and that the victim was not dead at that time.

He explained that he is making efforts to transfer the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, in Maiduguri.

Investigations by our correspondent reveal that the community has forwarded their complaints to the Public Complaints Commission, PCC, in the event that attempts are made by the police to sweep the matter under the carpet.

BORNO COMMUNITY PETITIONS POLICE OVER THE RELEASE OF A MURDER SUSPECT BY THE DPO

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First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu Unveils First Baby of the Year 2025

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First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu Unveils First Baby of the Year 2025

By: Our Reporter

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Wednesday welcomed Abuja’s first baby of the year 2025 at the Asokoro District Hospital.

Favour Stephen Odion – a baby girl – was born to the family of Mr. Odion Oyinbo and Mrs. Chioma Odion at exactly 12:27 am on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, weighing 3.6kg.

The mother of the nation also received other babies born in the hospital, including the first baby boy of the year 2025, Zimchikachim Ejiofor, born to the family of Mr. Ejiofor Nworie and Mrs. Delight Nworie at about 7:14am on Wednesday and weighing 3kg.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu welcomed Favour and all the other children born on New Year’s Day in the FCT with baby gifts, including post-natal care products and other nutritional supplies, as well as cash presents.

The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, prayed for God to protect the children, wishing them long life, good health, and prosperity.

She said, “I am here to represent the mother of the nation to welcome the first baby of the year and other children. So, I’m presenting this token and a beautiful package to our dear daughter. I want to wish her well – long life, prosperity, good health. Insha Allah, they (first baby and other babies) are the next generation to take over from us. I wish you all the best. Please take good care of her.”

While congratulating and comforting the mothers of the newborn babies, the First Lady counselled them on the need for proper care for the babies in respect of exclusive breastfeeding, immunization, and timely post-natal care, saying, “Good enough, this (Asokoro General Hospital) is closer to my house; I’m sure for the post-natal, they’re going to take good care of you.”

She further presented birth certificates to the first baby of the year and the first baby boy just as she moved around the maternity ward congratulating other new babies in the hospital.

Earlier, the acting Chief Medical Director of Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Rosemary Nwokorie, while welcoming the First Lady, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its unwavering commitment to transforming the nation’s health sector, with a view to improving the healthcare services for every Nigerian.

Nwokorie also applauded the First Lady and the wife of the Vice President for creating various intervention programs especially the Renewed Hope Initiative toward assisting vulnerable Nigerians, especially women and children in the country.

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu Unveils First Baby of the Year 2025

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