Birnin kebbi: Doctors Without Borders/M©decins Sans Fronti¨res (MSF) has raised alarm over the growing number of cholera cases in Zamfara State, reporting more than 1,500 infections from mid-June to early August.
According to Voice of Nigeria, MSF’s Medical Coordinator in Nigeria, Dr David Kizito, stated that cases were recorded from three state Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities supported by the organisation, with high incidence rates also reported in other parts of the state. The outbreak is occurring amidst insecurity, displacement, and limited access to clean water and sanitation, conditions worsened by the rainy season. Dr Kizito noted that cholera outbreaks in Nigeria typically intensify between April and October due to flooding that contaminates water sources.
Cholera, which can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting, leads to rapid dehydration and can result in death within hours if left untreated. In response to the outbreak, MSF has expanded its water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions, working alongside other humanitarian actors and the MOH. The MOH activated a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre on July 3 to address the crisis. Areas such as Shinkafi, Zurmi, and Talata Mafara, where access to safe water is critically low, have been prioritised.
MSF has also supported the opening of cholera treatment centres and units in Zurmi, Shinkafi, and Talata Mafara General Hospitals. Between June 16 and August 5, the Zurmi CTC recorded 562 suspected cases, mainly from Yambuki, Kadamusa, and Zurmi town. Shinkafi General Hospital treated approximately 401 cases between July 11 and August 5, while over 600 cases were recorded in Talata Mafara from July 1 to August 8. Some cases originated from Isa LGA in Sokoto State and as far as Anka and Bakura LGAs.
Dr Kizito expressed concern over a potential rise in infections and called for urgent measures, including decentralised oral rehydration points and enabling primary healthcare centres to treat mild and moderate cases. He also stressed the need for an immediate cholera vaccination campaign and urged full community participation to curb the spread, emphasising that “no one should die from a preventable disease.”