Abuja/Yenagoa — Minister of Health, Prof. Christian Onyebuchi Chukwu, has ordered immediate delivery of consignments of intravenous drugs to Bauchi and Borno States to curtail the cholera outbreak there.

The directive to dispatch drugs and health personnel to the affected states came just as officials of the ministry confirmed last night that there have been about 5,329 reported cases of the disease with 129 deaths in the two states.

The minister said during a function in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, yesterday that the ministry last Friday directed the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Mohammad Ali Patte, to proceed to Bauchi State immediately to strengthen the number of health workers already working there.

Cases of cholera outbreak were first observed in some parts of Adamawa and Taraba States but it later became more pronounced in Borno two weeks ago and immediately spread to Bauchi State and environs.

Chukwu said the epidemiological team of the ministry has already moved into the affected areas in Bauchi and Borno States to provide technical support to the other health officials deployed to attend to the cholera victims.

"We are on top of the situation. We are working with the affected states and local governments to step-up efforts to arrest the spread of the cholera disease," he said.

He said he has directed that consignments of intravenous drugs be immediately dispatched to Bauchi and Borno to help the intervention efforts to contain the spread of the cholera disease.

According to Chukwu, apart from providing drugs, disease management and diagnostic support, the ministry officials have also taken steps to purify identified sources of water in the areas so far hit by the epidemic.

He said his ministry officials have been working with the Bauchi State officials on the recent outbreak, but it became necessary to send a higher powered delegation led by Dr Ali Pate to show the FG's commitment to the health of Nigerians.

Meanwhile, 18 persons have been reported killed following an outbreak of measles in Onewari community in Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State.

THISDAY gathered that several others are still lying critically in various health centres in neighbouring communities as the people have started moving out of the community.

Even as the disease continued to ravage the community, medical sources have attributed the outbreak to inadequate response to the immunization programmes of government by parents and guardian in the area.

According to the Supervisor of Health in the Council, Timipa Ogon, medical teams from both the state Ministry of Health and the council have swung into action to contain the spread even as are working tirelessly to reduce the mortality rate.

Also confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Council, Easterday Ayibatairi said the situation was under control, as some Health Officers in the Council have been mobilized to the Community to arrest the situation.

Ayibatairi said the mobilisation of the Health Officers to the measles -stricken area was to ensure the disease does not spread to other neighbouring communities.

He confirmed that the State Ministry of Health has dispatch a team of medical personnel to the scene to check the outbreak and also sensitize parents on the need to immunize their children.

It would be recalled that between December and February, measles outbreak killed over 28 children in Okpotuwari and Ondewari within the same vicinity before it was contained.