NCDC Warns of Rapid Cholera Spread as Lagos Island Leads in Infections, Public Health Experts Call for Urgent Sanitation Improvements Nigeria is grappling with a significant surge in
NCDC Warns of Rapid Cholera Spread as Lagos Island Leads in Infections, Public Health Experts Call for Urgent Sanitation Improvements
Nigeria is grappling with a significant surge in cholera cases, as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a 128% increase in infections. Lagos State has emerged as the epicenter, contributing to 60% of the reported cases, with Lagos Island being the most affected area. The death toll has risen sharply, with 204 fatalities recorded in 2024, a 106% jump from the previous year. Health experts are urging swift government intervention to address poor sanitation and water access, which are fueling the spread of this deadly disease.
The NCDC has raised the alarm about the ongoing cholera crisis, citing a total of 7,056 suspected cases across the country as of September 1, 2024, up from 3,096 cases reported by the same time in 2023.
This marked increase prompted the Nigerian government to declare a state of emergency in June, particularly after the case fatality rate soared to 3.5%, surpassing the national average of 1%. Other states severely affected include Bayelsa, Katsina, and Zamfara. Although the fatality rate has slightly improved to 2.9%, the outbreak continues to pose a major public health challenge, particularly in communities with inadequate water supply and sanitation infrastructure.
Public health experts have identified poor sanitation and overcrowded living conditions in urban areas as primary contributors to the rise in cholera cases. Dr. John Okoro, an epidemiologist, emphasized that inadequate waste management and lack of clean water access in densely populated areas like Lagos Island have turned these regions into hotspots for waterborne diseases. Okoro called for urgent government intervention, stressing the need to prioritize investments in safe drinking water and sanitation infrastructure. Without these improvements, he warned, urban communities will remain vulnerable to preventable outbreaks like cholera.
