ADAMAWA STATE CONFIRMS CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN ATLEAST 3 LGAs

Adamawa Government on Tuesday confirmed the outbreak of cholera in three local government areas of the state with one death from the 76 cases recorded.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Information Officer of the State Ministry of Health, Abubakar Mohammed, made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola.

“Adamawa State Ministry of Health wishes to inform you and the general public that the state has recorded confirmed cases of cholera in three local governments namely Yola North, Yola South and Girei respectively.

“The Epidemiological unit of the ministry received the report on acute watery diarrhea and vomiting on 12th May, 2019, samples collected and tested using both Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and cultured results from reference laboratory yielded positive.

“As at today Tuesday the 18th of June 2019, a total of 76 cases were recorded with 1 death, giving a case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.3%.

“Yola North reported 44 cases with 1 death (CFR= 2.3%); Yola South has 1 case with no death (CFR = 0%); and Girei recorded 31 cases with no death (CFR=0%).”

The ministry said that it has commenced action with other partners, adding that the State Rapid Response Team and Emergency Operation Centre had been activated, while Active case search teams were recruited, trained and deployed.

Report has it that community mobilizers were also engaged to carry cholera preventive messages on house to house bases, while All identified households in the affected communities were decontaminated and that the treatment center had been set up in Yola Specialist Hospital to support case management.

”A 24 hour ambulance services and toll free lines were also made operational to ease the movement of suspected cases from the communities to the health facilities. Mass media campaigns in radio and TV will commence to sensitize general public on cholera prevention and control measures and good hygiene promotion practices.

“General public is hereby encouraged to report any suspected case immediately to the nearest health facility or Call the following toll free lines 08031230359, 07080601139 for prompt response. All calls made to the lines are free of charge,” the statement said.

(NAN)

NAFDAC ANNOUNCES PLAN TO REGULATE SNIPER OVER INCREASING USE FOR SUICIDES

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) may direct a change in the package of ‘Sniper’, an agro-chemical that has increasingly become a choice killer for persons contemplating suicide.

This is in response to calls for a check on the proliferation and ease of access to Sniper in markets and streets across the nation.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Christiana Adeyeye, said Sniper containers “could now be made very difficult to open, or may be turned into a spray rather than the liquid contents it is known for.”

The suicide rate has increased in Nigeria with Sniper among the agents popularly used.

Notable among the reported incidents is that of a student of the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Chukwuemeka Akachi.

There was another case of a music pastor in a popular Pentecostal church who recently committed suicide after consuming the deadly substance. That was before Ayomide and Ajani Damilola of the University of Lagos were reported to have killed themselves using the insecticide following the accusations that they stole clothes in their hostel.

Another 32-year-old banker and mother of two, identified as Peace, of Ughelli, Delta State, committed suicide over her husband’s alleged infidelity. She also took Sniper.