NCDC Warns Of Rising Cholera, Fever, Marburg Threats
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has raised concern over the rising incidences of infectious diseases across the country. Its Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, during a news conference yesterday in Abuja, attributed the recent floods in northern states, including Borno, Adamawa, Jigawa, Yobe, and Kano, as the primary factor worsening the spread of cholera in these regions, now identified as the epicenters of the outbreak. Nigeria will also become one of the first countries to roll out a new R21 malaria vaccine after receiving a first batch of 846,200 doses produced by the Serum Institute of India and Novavax. The Health Minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, says the doses represent a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to eliminate malaria.
Maiduguri Flood Affects Thousands, Presidency Direct Evacuation
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the National Emergency Management Agency to assist the flood victims in Maiduguri. Tinubu in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the flood as the worst in recent decades, having displaced thousands of residents and affected facilities such as the Shehu’s Palace, Post office and the Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. The President also called for the immediate evacuation of people from affected areas and assured Governor Babagana Zulum of federal support to address the humanitarian needs of the affected population. Major roads, houses, and shops in Maiduguri metropolis, the Borno State capital, and parts of the Jere Local Government Area have been submerged by floodwaters, and a prison wall located along the Custom area was reportedly broken by the flood, allegedly drowned some inmates while several others escaped for their lives.
