The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has activated its Cholera Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) as part of enhanced surveillance and preparedness efforts to address the growing threat of a cholera outbreak in the region. The announcement was made by the FCT’s Public Health Department in a statement on Thursday.The Permanent Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Baba Gana Adam, emphasized the necessity of activating the Cholera EOC in response to the increasing number of reported cholera cases across Nigeria. As an expanding urban center, the FCT faces significant risks of cholera outbreaks, prompting the Secretariat to take proactive steps to prevent and contain the spread of the disease.
Dr. Adam assured that no resources would be spared in the effort to prevent a cholera outbreak, and he called for the involvement of all relevant stakeholders in developing reliable strategies to combat the disease. Following his directive, the FCT Public Health Department organized a Cholera Update meeting.
During the meeting, the Acting Director of the FCT Public Health Department, Dan Gadzama, reported that the FCT had recently recorded 32 suspected cholera cases, with three laboratory-confirmed cases and eight confirmed through Rapid Diagnostic Tests. The activation of the Cholera EOC was a response to the need to prevent further escalation and spread of the disease.
Gadzama outlined several preparedness measures that had been in place prior to the first cases being recorded. These include the identification of high-risk areas, public education campaigns, healthcare worker training, and the establishment of a Cholera Incident Management team. The team, made up of relevant stakeholders, will coordinate efforts to control the outbreak.
Cholera, caused by the bacterium *Vibrio cholerae*, is primarily spread through contaminated food, water, and poor sanitation. Addressing these environmental factors is essential to curbing the disease. The Abuja Environmental Protection Board has been actively involved in these control efforts.
FCT State Epidemiologist, Dr. Lawal Ademola, noted that cholera outbreaks are closely linked to the lack of potable water, inadequate sanitation, and poor food hygiene practices. Improving these conditions is crucial to reducing the risk of future outbreaks.
