The UN Migration Agency International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its humanitarian partners in Nigeria are increasing their efforts to respond to the cholera epidemic that has broken out in camps in the country's northeast. The number of victims to the disease is rising, however.
According to the latest Situation Report of Cholera Outbreak issued by Nigeria's Borno State Ministry of Health, from 5 to 17 September there were 1,533 suspected cholera cases and 31 associated deaths reported in the northeast Nigerian state. As part of the cholera response IOM, and the UN Migration Agency, is conducting targeted hygiene promotion and sanitation activities in camp and camp-like settings.
Sensitization to improve hygiene
In a statement, IOM said that in the Konduga, Maiduguri, Jere, Dikwa and Gwoza local government areas, its teams sensitized 2,726 households (around 15,000 people) to improve hygiene practices through house-to-house visits, mass campaigns and focus group discussions. Construction of additional hygiene and sanitation facilities such as latrines and showers are ongoing in Konduga and Jere, which are high cholera-risk local government areas. "We realize that as youths we can bring positive change towards curbing cholera in Gubio by encouraging proper utilization of sanitation facilities that are in the camps," said a young man during a sensitization session on cholera prevention in Gubio, Maiduguri.
Detecting suspected cases of cholera is essential
IOM continues to implement standard camp coordination and management activities to facilitate equitable access to services among the affected population, as well as timely mapping and referral of gaps in the provision of assistance, reaching more than 680,000 displaced individuals across 110 camp and camp-like settings in Borno State. "Detecting and responding rapidly to suspected cases of cholera is vital to controlling outbreaks, which can spread rapidly," said Fouad Diab, IOM Nigeria Emergency Coordinator, following the release of the latest situation report.
"We are working towards ensuring that basic hygiene practices, including use of clean and safe water and proper sanitation are promoted among internally displaced persons and host communities," he added. The government is also disseminating prevention messages to combat waterborne disease through local radio stations in the languages of Hausa, Kanuri, Shuwa and Bura. Borno State is at the heart of the ongoing conflict in northeast Nigeria, a region where, according to recent assessments, 1,926,748 people are displaced. Up to 79% of internally displaced people in the region are women and children.