By Our Reporter
Families in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State are mourning after a cholera outbreak claimed the lives of five people, while health officials race to stop the disease from spreading further across 18 affected communities.
The Plateau State Government confirmed the deaths and said 53 suspected cases have been recorded so far. Speaking during a media briefing, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong, explained that 10 of the cases tested positive through Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), while four others were confirmed through laboratory culture tests at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital.
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According to the commissioner, the outbreak has spread across communities in the Pushit, Mangu I and Mangu II electoral wards, a sharp rise from the eight suspected cases first reported.
“So far, we have recorded five deaths. Three of the deaths occurred at home, while two occurred in health facilities,” he said, extending condolences to the affected families.
Health workers and local authorities have since stepped up efforts to contain the outbreak. Dr. Ba’amlong said the Ministry of Health, working alongside the Mangu Local Government Council and development partners, has intensified surveillance through active case searches, contact tracing and community monitoring.
To help patients receive timely care, health facilities have been stocked with Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), intravenous fluids, antibiotics and rapid diagnostic testing supplies.
“We are making efforts to ensure free or subsidized treatment so that no patient is denied care because of financial constraints,” he stated.
The government has also increased public awareness campaigns, engaging traditional rulers, religious leaders and community stakeholders to educate residents about prevention and the need to seek medical attention quickly when symptoms appear.
Other measures include household water treatment programmes, environmental sanitation exercises, hygiene promotion and door-to-door campaigns on safe water handling and storage.
Despite these efforts, officials acknowledged ongoing challenges, including shortages of diagnostic kits, rising demand for medical supplies and difficulties reaching some remote communities.
To strengthen coordination, the Ministry of Health has activated its Incident Management System and appointed the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Job Maren, as Incident Manager to oversee surveillance, treatment, laboratory services, risk communication and water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.
Additional rapid response teams have been deployed, while treatment centres and isolation facilities are being expanded. The government is also working closely with partners such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to bring the outbreak under control.
Residents have been urged to drink only boiled or treated water, wash their hands regularly, maintain proper sanitation, avoid open defecation and seek immediate medical care if they experience symptoms such as severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
“The cholera situation in Mangu LGA is serious, but the Plateau State Government, in collaboration with its partners, is actively managing the response,” the commissioner assured.
