Nigeria battles to curb cholera spread
By: Chioma Umeha As six states in the country struggle with cholera which has already affected 373 persons with 74 succumbing to the disease, action has commenced to initiate sanitary precautions to control it. This is even as 30 other states, including the Federal capital territory (FCT) is now on alert to prevent cross infection. The action is coming on the heels of warnings by government authorities and experts for the public to do everything to stop open defecation and ensure access to clean water. For instance, the Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, on Monday, assured that the ministry had proffered ways of checking the infection, just as experts on Tuesday, urged governments at all levels to reintroduce sanitary inspection to control further outbreak of cholera and other communicable diseases. Prof Chukwu, gave the assurance at the 2013 Physicians’ Week, organised by Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Abuja, while addressing journalists, confirming that the six st