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Nigeria: Cholera Epidemic Ravages Northern Cross River
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Leadership (Abuja)
12 February 2008
Posted to the web 12 February 2008
Edem Edem
Cross River
Over 60 children between the ages of 1-2 have reportedly died of cholera epidemic in Northern Cross River State.
The incident which occurred three weeks ago has been attributed to drinking of contaminated water. The death occurred in Ogoja and its environs.
The epidemic which is ravaging children in Yala, Obudu, Mbube, Bekwara, and Ogoja main towns is attributable to shortage of water supply to the people resulting to the use of water from ponds, streams and gutters for domestic use and drinking.
Sources at the General Hospital, Ogoja confirmed that over 30 children have died in the hospital in the past three weeks, outside those who could not make it to hospital.
"We are losing an average of five kids a day here. When I was on duty, over seven children have died," a nurse at the hospital told our correspondent.
Investigations revealed that the disease which is characterised by vomiting and frequent stooling leaves the kids drained of fluids within hours of attack.
"Some parents keep their children at home until they become too weak and only bring them to hospital just at the point of death. We have been able to revive some of them but like you know the body composition of children is fragile and cannot withstand long periods without fluid in the body" a doctor at the hospital revealed.
"My nephew, Eskor's son, died in the morning and one of my twins died in the evening. The other twin and my first son almost passed out in the night of Sunday, one Sunday Adeke told LEADERSHIP.
"If you get to the village, you will shed tears as many homes are wailing right now for the loss of their children"
The Medical Superintendent of General Hospital, Ogoja, Dr Bart Egabe, confirmed the epidemic ".
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He, however, said many children had died from the infection but "said we are doing our best to contain the situation. Parents should keep their food sources clean and remember to bring the kids to hospital early."
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