President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to establish a committee to oversee the National Center for Disease Control’s (NCDC) cholera emergency operation center.

This is a battle Nigeria must win for Abuja.

Following the council meeting that the president chaired in the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Dr. Ali Pate, revealed this information to State House media.

He also revealed the composition of the cabinet committee, which will include representatives from the Federal Ministries of Youth, Aviation, Water Resources, Finance, Education, and Health.

Read Also: Lagos Confirms 17 Cholera Cases, 15 Deaths

The committee’s work, he continued, was a complement to the state government’s assistance to guarantee that Nigeria made progress in lowering open defecation.

The minister stated: ‘A cabinet committee made up of the federal, ministries was then approved by the council.’ of youth,

Education, water resources, youth, aviation, health, and the ministry of finance since some of our kids will be going back to school.

‘In addition, as cholera is a developmental issue requiring a multi-sectoral approach, the state governments will be co-opted so that Nigeria makes progress in reducing open defecation.’

‘The President ordered that a cabinet committee be established to supervise the work of the NCDC-led emergency operation, center and to arrange for the provision of resources in addition to those provided by state governments.’

According to the ministry, there have been 1528 cases in Nigeria so far, with 53 fatalities reported from 31 states.

‘We are focusing on this as there are currently 31 states in Nigeria with 1528 cases and 53 deaths reported. the NCDC-activated emergency operation center on Monday.

In addition to the recent yellow fever outbreak, which is concentrated in Bayelsa State, the Council held lengthy discussions about the current cholera outbreak.

We are currently experiencing the seventh pandemic of cholera worldwide, which is…Cholera is not exclusive to Nigeria; it has been around for decades; in 2022, there were about 500,000 cases worldwide.

The World Health Organization reported about 700,000 cases of cholera in 2023. More than 200,000 instances have been reported worldwide this year, he continued.

He also emphasized the need for a multi-sectoral strategy to combat the pandemic.

Nigeria is falling short of its sanitation goals.

In the meantime, health experts have called for a multi-pronged approach, prioritizing sanitation and implementing legislation against open defecation, as Nigeria faces a serious sanitation crisis due to the cholera outbreak.

To get the country back on track to fulfill its sanitation targets and eventually save lives, the experts insisted that behavior change be encouraged.

They claimed that the continued practice of open defecation jeopardized the nation’s promise to eliminate it by 2025.

Alongside construction initiatives, they emphasized the need to create demand for toilets, acknowledging the need for a change in approach.

Nigeria is presently leading the world in the number of individuals who defecate outside, and it is far from meeting the aim established by the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, but is important to stop the spread of water-borne illnesses like cholera.

The National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or NCDC,

recorded 53 cholera-related deaths and 1,528 suspected cases as of June 24, 2024, spread among 31 states and 107 LGAs in Nigeria since the year’s start. 3.5% is the rate of case fatalities.

The rainy season has also put Nigeria at high risk for increased cholera transmission and consequences, according to the NCDC.

The practice of defecating outdoors rather than undercover is known as ‘open defecation,’ and it is very common in Nigeria. This makes it ideal for cholera outbreaks.

According to the WASH-NORM study, which is a national outcome mapping routine for water, sanitation, and hygiene, 48 million Nigerians, or 23% of Only 8% of people wash their hands after eating, while the majority of people still defecate in public.

Nigeria has persisted in giving lip service to WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), according to Dr. Casmier Ifeanyi, a public health expert.

I dare you to go find it out,’ Ifeanyi said. How many of the 30 states where the outbreak has already been confirmed to be occurring have a publicly accessible drinkable water supply in place? ‘I’m sorry, but I have absolutely nothing to tell you.’

‘Thus, it is well known that cholera is a disease that flourishes in areas with low levels of water, sanitation, and hygiene.’

In his appeal for the nation to solve concerns, he emphasized the necessity of better WASH practices,

stressing the importance of tackling open defecation and guaranteeing access to clean water. to stop such outbreaks.

‘People who engage in this act of open defecation are unaware of the health implications, and most public spaces are devoid of restrooms.’

Dr. Isaac Egboja, a different public health expert, also spoke and blamed open defecation in nearly all of the impacted states of Nigeria for the cholera outbreak.

There is open defecation in almost all of the impacted states, and this time of year, when it rains, the excrement is taken to open wells, streams, ponds, and other water sources, which can lead to contamination.

Millions of Nigerians’ health and welfare are at stake; this is much more than just meeting deadlines.

Resolving the issue of open defecation is critical to combating cholera and other aquatic infections. He declared, ‘Nigeria has to prevail in this battle for a healthier future.’

Cholera: Tinubu