European Union, ALIMA, Support Fight Against Cholera Outbreak In Northeast Nigeria
With 124 cases of cholera recorded, EU supports ALIMA to tackle the ongoing cholera outbreak in Yobe State.
The European Union (EU) is supporting the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), a medical humanitarian Non-governmental organisation with their ongoing efforts to reduce cholera fatality rates in Yobe State, Northeast Nigeria.
The medical NGO indicated that as of Sunday, Sept. 26, over 88,563 suspected cases of cholera and 3,057 suspected deaths were reported, with 78 per cent of the states in the country having reported suspected cholera cases.
The organisation also highlighted that children between 5 and 14 years old were the most affected, with Yobe recording one of the highest incidences. The Yobe Ministry of Health also documented that as of Sunday, Oct. 17,124 cases were recorded and five deaths in week 41.
Bart Witteveen, EU’s Humanitarian Aid Officer in Nigeria said with EU support to ALIMA, it will help strengthen case management, to reduce fatality rates, as well as to support referrals from communities and ensure access to safe water and sanitation in health facilities.
“The current outbreak has spread over the border with Niger, an additional challenge as the health system is also under pressure due to the current malaria season. The intense rain season increases the risk of flooding and of malnutrition cases,” he added.
Also, Dr. Anthelme Seka, ALIMA’s Medical Coordinator in Nigeria remarked that the European Union support is critical because it will help save more lives.
“Thanks to this funding, ALIMA is already able to begin its actions on the ground to respond to the ongoing outbreak, with the aim of providing quality emergency medical care to the most affected local communities.”
Finally, access to vulnerable communities for cholera vaccination is increasingly challenging, due to insecurity triggering population movements in the country’s Northern regions. The situation is further worsened by the overlap with the COVID-19 pandemic.
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