The Norwegian Refugee Council on Monday reported a spurt in the number of people affected by the cholera outbreak in Nigeria. The organisation said 175 people had died of the disease till November 2018 and 10,000 people were affected.
The report attributed the quick spread of the disease to congested displacement camps and limited access to proper sanitation facilities. “One of the major causes of the outbreak is the congestion in the camps that makes it difficult to provide adequate water, sanitation and hygiene services,” said Janet Cherono, the organisation’s programme manager in Maiduguri. Cherono said the rain has made conditions worse at the camp.
The report urged the local administrations of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe to designate more land for the camps and provide better health and sanitation facilities. “Nigeria is steering towards yet another cholera outbreak in 2019,” warned Cherono. The organisation urged the international community to pitch in with funding.
Violence in Nigeria, particularly conflicts with militant group Boko Haram, has led to more than 1.8 million people being displaced.
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