Nigerian students returning from the mid-term break and Eid holiday face a heightened risk of contracting cholera, caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, UNICEF has warned.
Public health experts caution that the food and water-borne disease could rapidly spread in schools unless preventive measures are implemented.
Celine Lafoucrier, Chief of UNICEF’s Lagos Field Office, urged stakeholders to establish comprehensive safety measures to protect students and prevent disruptions to the academic calendar due to cholera outbreaks.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported that from January 1 to June 11, 2024, there have been over 1,141 suspected cases and more than 65 confirmed cases of cholera, leading to over 30 deaths across 96 LGAs in 30 states.
