Hussaini Kafi in Kano
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has raised alarm over a surge in cholera cases in Zamfara State, disclosing that more than 1,500 infections were recorded between mid-June and early August.
In a statement, MSF said the outbreak has been most severe in areas where insecurity, displacement, and poor access to clean water have compounded health risks.
“This outbreak is unfolding in a context of insecurity, displacement, and limited access to clean water and sanitation – exacerbated by the rainy season,” said MSF’s medical coordinator in Nigeria, Dr. David Kizito.
MSF reported high caseloads from Ministry of Health facilities in Zurmi, Shinkafi, and Talata Mafara, where treatment centres have been established.
Between June and early August, the Zurmi centre alone documented 562 suspected cases, while Shinkafi and Talata Mafara hospitals treated 401 and over 600 patients respectively.
The organisation warned that the situation could worsen as the rainy season continues to contaminate water sources. Cholera, which causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting, can lead to death within hours if untreated.
To curb the spread, MSF has scaled up water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions alongside the Zamfara Ministry of Health, which activated a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre on July 3.
Preventive education, oral rehydration points, and vaccination campaigns are also being pushed.
“Ensuring access to safe drinking water and urgent vaccination is key. No one should die from a preventable disease,” Dr. Ahmad Bilal, MSF’s head of mission, stressed.
