By Asile Abel, Jos
The Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, has inspected the cholera treatment centre in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau, assuring of their support in ending the rising cases of cholera in the state. She said collaborative efforts are key in addressing the outbreak to further stop mortality, especially child mortality going forward.
Rafique stated this during her visit to Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State to assess the treatment conditions of the health facility as well as to complement the efforts of other organizations that are on the ground trying to control the outbreak from spreading.
The Chief Field Office maintained that more consumables, as well as needed items, would be made available to the treatment centre.
The Matron of General Hospital Bokkos, Saratu Felix Danang, called for immediate support in the areas of personal protective equipment (PPE) among others. “We need water here, we need fluids, we need hand sanitizer, we need facemasks, we need PPEs, and staff strength.”
We need water here, we need fluids, we need hand sanitizer, we need facemasks, we need PPEs, and staff strength
The World Health Organization (WHO) Local Government Facilitator of the rapid response team, led by Lucy Pam Dagyang, said most of the consumables were finished at the treatment centre.
She disclosed that the early cases were discovered at a private hospital linked to a source of water. “The rapid response team has been on the ground, and when we were called upon, we had to activate an awareness campaign, reach out to various private healthcare facilities, and ensure that we mopped up all those who were stooling to one place, which is the cottage hospital.”
She earlier visited the State Epidemiology and Disease Control Centre, where the State Epidemiologist/Incident Manager, Dr. Maren Damala, said the state had 37 cases, out of which three mortalities were recorded.
He expressed concerns about poor manpower in the healthcare sector and the need for urgent measures to strengthen the fight against the cholera outbreak in the state.
We had to activate an awareness campaign, reach out to various private healthcare facilities, and ensure that we mopped up all those who were stooling to one place, which is the cottage hospital
The Director of Administration, State Primary Healthcare Board, Mr. Michael Denis Kamu, representing the Executive Secretary of the Board, disclosed that they had since written a proposal for the employment of 4,774 personnel to further complement the few workers as well as strengthen the healthcare system at the rural level.
