By OLAWALE AJIMOTOKAN

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has said that 60 persons have died as a result of the current Cholera outbreak in the FCT.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, gave the update on Thursday during the

continuation of community sensitisation on cholera and other severe acute diarrhoea diseases outbreaks in Pyakasa and Gwagwa respectively.

The minister, who was represented by the Acting Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo, also revealed that suspected cases had risen from 604 to 698 within last 72 hours, while the death toll had also climbed from 54 to 60.

She noted that Abaji area council recorded three suspected cases and no death, while Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), 281 had suspected cases with 22 deaths. Also Bwari Area Council recorded 134 suspected cases with 22 deaths.

Others were Gwagwalada area council with 220 suspected cases and nine deaths, Kuje area council, 23 suspected cases with four deaths and Kwali area council, which recorded 37 suspected cases with three deaths.

She described the Cholera outbreak in the FCT as unacceptable, adding that the administration would not fold its hands and watch residents die helplessly over preventable diseases.

The minister said every necessary steps to curb further spread must be made, just as she urged FCT residents and critical stakeholders to publicise the message of cholera disease prevention, proper sanitation with practice of hand hygiene in their respective communities.

In his remarks, chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Adamu Candido, affirmed the commitment of his council to forestall continuous spread of the disease to adjoining and other communities.

He added that the Primary Health Care Department of the council had embarked on sensitisation tour to all the four chiefdoms in AMAC so as to enlighten the traditional rulers and their councils about the cholera outbreak and preventive measures.

“The Disease Control Unit of our Primary Health Care Department through Disease Surveillance Notification Officers have been working tirelessly in different communities of the council including hard-to-reach fields in order to trace and report cases at the primary healthcare facilities for free treatment”.

He commended the professional competence, commitment and zeal of the council’s health workers and the Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCTA in combating this life threatening disease. (THISDAY)

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