FG deploys oral cholera vaccine to Borno, targets 900,000 persons

To curtail the spread of cholera outbreak in Borno, which has killed no fewer than 48 persons, the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has deployed oral cholera vaccines targeted at 900,000 persons in the most affected surroundings.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, in an online interview with The Guardian yesterday, said the centre has also issued guideline on how people can protect themselves against the deadly food and water borne disease.

Ihekweazu said: “The NCDC has worked with the state government and National Primary Healthcare Development Agency to submit an application for cholera vaccines to be used in affected areas in Borno State.

“For the first time in Nigeria, the oral cholera vaccine is being used in a reactive vaccination campaign in response to a cholera outbreak, which began on September 18, 2017. The target is to reach about 900,000 people in the affected and surrounding areas. We are confident that this will curtail the spread of the disease.‘’