Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Dr Austin Demby… No Cholera crisis case yet, but all structures are now activated

Abubakar Hashim

West Africa May likely grapple with another epidemiological crisis, as cholera is ravaging Nigeria currently.

The Nigeria Council for Disease Control NCDC has, today, declared cholera a “ public health emergency” and has “ activated emergency response”, as the death toll now hits 53 across 31 states in Nigeria, with cholera cases soar to 1,528.

Speaking to the NEWS, Sierra Leone’s Health Minister, Dr Austin Demby, confirmed no case yet in the country, but was quick to add that “existential structures are in place and are been activated in the event of any crisis”.
Other West African countries like Guinea, The Gambia, Cotedivoire, Ghana, are equally on alert, due to epidemiological evidence of a rapid spread along the West Coast.
Cholera is a water and food con-terminated disease, exacerbated by poor sanitary and un hygienic conditions, prevalent in the raining seasons.

With Nigeria on high alert and has declared cholera an health emergency of crisis proportion, another health crisis, like Ebola and COVID-19, is likely in the West Coast, as, virtually, all these countries are prone to similar health conditions, characteristic of cholera.

West Africa Health Organisation WAHO, is yet to make a statement on the rapid spread of cholera in Nigeria, but health experts say the organisation will put a press statement in the next few hours, since NCDC, has, today, declared cholera an “emergency health crisis” in Nigeria

*Abubakar Hashim is the News West Africa Bureau Chief, based in Sierra Leone