Enoch Oyedibu
No fewer than 32 have lost their lives while 428 cases have been recorded in Ogun State in three years , PLATFORM TIMES’s investigation revealed.
In 2024, Nigeria witnessed another cholera outbreak and in few days of the outbreak, the State, has already started bearing the brunt with at least 25 cases and one death.
But this is still least comparable to the amount of cases the state has had over the course of three years.
PLATFORM TIMES’ investigation showed that in three three years, starting from 2021, through 2023 and 2024, excluding 2019, 2020 and 2022, Ogun State has recorded over 428 cases and 32 deaths.
Documents obtained from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) exposed that Ogun State, is among one of the few others across the 36 states that has over high Cholera cases.
In 2021 alone, there were 108 cases with 17 deaths. In 2022, none was recorded but in 2023, there was a drastic rise in the cases.
Approximately, about 295 cases were recorded with 14 deaths.
2023 statistics is the penultimate to the 2024 ongoing statistics that is rising every day.
Currently, the statistics stands at 28 cases with 1 death.
The state government recently confirmed 25 cases of Cholera in seven local government areas of the state, with one casualty from Ijebu North local government in the Ogun East Senatorial district of the state.
The state commissioner for health, Dr Tomi Coker, gave the figure in Abeokuta, the state capital during a press briefing held at the Olusegun Osoba press centre in the state capital.
She identified Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Obafemi/ Owode, Ijebu North, Ado, Odo/ OTA local government areas as the most hit by the disease.
“At the inception, we received the alert on June 12th, 2024, about the first two cases. Both cases tested positive with a Cholera rapid diagnostic kit and were managed at the State Hospital, Ota.
The two cases had travel history to Lagos state 24 hours before presentation, as of today 24th, June 2024, Ogun state has recorded 25 suspected cases of Cholera in 7 LGAs namely, Ado-Odo/Ota, Remo North, Odeda, Sagamu, Ijebu North, Ewekoro, and Obafemi Owode, with 9 confirmed case and unfortunately, one death.
“Consequent upon these findings, it is imperative to declare an ongoing Cholera Outbreak in Ogun State.
“Before this outbreak, as part of the state preparedness, a robust surveillance system was in place in all 20 local government authorities which ensured prompt detection of cases.
“The initial eight cases originated from Lagos state the reported epicentre of the Cholera outbreak and a state that shares a border with 4 of our local governments.
“The 8 cases had travel history to Lagos and 6 of them reported taking tiger nut drinks while in Lagos. Furthermore, we also promptly diagnosed cholera in 5 of the contacts of the patients with a travel history to Lagos State.
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