Health
Cholera outbreak: Nigeria runs out of vaccine as death toll hits 40
As the death toll from the latest cholera outbreak hits 40, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says the country does not have enough vaccines. According to the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jide Idris, Nigeria has placed an order for more cholera vaccines from donor agencies, even though the date of delivery is still unknown.
The NCDC boss stressed the need for the country to embrace the use of vaccines and other preventive measures to curb the spread of the acute diarrhoeal infection.
Cholera is a food and water-borne disease caused by the ingestion of the bacterium, Vibrio cholerae, in contaminated water and food.
Cholera kills 4,364 in four years
No fewer than 4,364 people have died out of the 139,730 Nigerians suspected to have been infected with the disease across the country in the last four years, an investigation by Saturday PUNCH has indicated. The incidence rate was derived from an analysis of the weekly cholera situation reports released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control between 2021 and 2024.
Recall that the NCDC recently alerted the public to the increasing trend of cholera cases across the country as the rainy season intensifies. In a statement signed by Idris on Thursday, June 13, 2024, the agency said that from January 1 to June 11, 2024, a total of 1,141 suspected cases, 65 confirmed cases, and 30 deaths from cholera had been reported from 96 local government areas in 30 states of the federation.
The NCDC listed the 10 states that contributed 90 per cent to the burden of cholera as Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, Nasarawa, and Lagos. As of then, the Lagos State Ministry of Health said it had recorded 350 suspected cases of the disease in 29 wards across multiple LGAs with 17 confirmed cases and 15 fatalities attributed to severe dehydration caused by delayed presentation.
However, on Friday, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, said the cholera incidence rate in the state had risen to 417 suspected cases, and 35 confirmed cases, with 24 deaths.
In a post made on his Instagram handle on Friday afternoon, Abayomi said, “The situation report as of June 19, 2024, indicated 417 suspected cases, 35 confirmed cases, and 24 recorded deaths.”
“Let’s adhere strictly to personal and environmental hygiene. Let’s stay safe #ForAGreaterLagos.”
He said the cases were reported from the Agege, Badagry, Ikeja, Mushin, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Epe, Ikorodu, Ojo, Alimosho, and Eti-Osa areas of the state.
Others he mentioned include Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Amuwo-Odofin, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Shomolu, Apapa, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos Mainland, and Surulere.
Also, the Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, told our correspondent on Thursday that the state had recorded one death and 14 cases.
This implies that in the last 12 days, the incidence rate of the disease in the country for this year had hit 1,222 suspected cases, 88 confirmed cases, and 40 fatalities.
The NCDC, however, stated that a multi-sectoral National Cholera Technical Working Group, led by the centre and comprising the Federal Ministries of Environment and Water Resources, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and other partners, had been providing support to the affected states.
With the latest incidence rate from Ogun and Lagos, investigations by Saturday PUNCH showed that a total of 4,364 deaths had been recorded out of the 139,730 people suspected to have been infected by the disease across the country since 2021.
Going by one of the NCDC’s cholera situation reports for week 52, there were a total of 111,062 suspected cases of the disease with 3,604 deaths across 435 local government areas in 34 states of the federation in 2021.
Another Cholera Week 52 report published by the NCDC and analysed by our correspondent revealed that in 2022, the country recorded 23,763 suspected cases with 592 deaths across 271 LGs in 33 states of the federation.
In 2023, there was a reduction in the incidence rate of the disease as the country recorded 3,683 suspected cases with 128 deaths across 166 LGs in 31 states of the country.
The prevalence rate of the disease further went down in 2024 with 1,141 suspected cases and 30 deaths recorded across 84 LGs in 30 states of the federation.
There were 473,000 cholera cases reported to the World Health Organisation in 2022, which was a 100 per cent increase compared to the rate reported to the global health organisation in 2021.
More so, a further increase in cases by 700,000 was estimated in 2023, while the latest data from the WHO showed that a cumulative total of 145,900 cholera cases and 1,766 deaths had been reported from 24 countries across five WHO regions.
In the latest global rate, Africa recorded the highest numbers, followed by the Eastern Mediterranean region, the region of the Americas, the South-East Asia region, and the European region.
However, speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the NCDC boss said while it is the National Primary Health Care Development Agency that is dealing with the issue of cholera vaccines, he is aware that the health minister has requested more vaccines from donor agencies.
“I know that the minister has requested more vaccines. But, I don’t know when they will come, because other countries also make requests internationally. I know that when they come, NPHCDA will decide how to distribute or use them.
“We don’t have enough to prevent an outbreak, because we need to give these things before that time. The problem is that to get vaccines, we need to plan ahead, and we don’t have the funds. Most countries plan ahead. When it comes to health security, we are supposed to stockpile some things in anticipation of an emergency.
“We don’t manufacture vaccines. We get them from donor agencies, just like any other country does. Whatever they supply will not be enough for us to use and in any case, it doesn’t give long-lasting immunity, so it has to be a combination of all control measures.
“The minister has requested support for these vaccines. He told me that last week. When they will come, I don’t know. However, we don’t necessarily have to rely on all those things if we can adopt other control measures,” the NCDC boss said.
Dr Idris also noted that the demand for cholera vaccines outpaces supply, adding that to consistently have adequate vaccines to curb diseases, the nation must plan ahead. He also stressed that Nigeria must embrace a combination of preventive measures to curb cholera outbreak, noting that cholera vaccines are not long-lasting.
“Cholera vaccine demand is far ahead of supply so most people who need them place orders and plan ahead. It is the same thing with all vaccines, not just cholera.
“We also know that cholera vaccines are not long-lasting. They only work for some time, so a combination of vaccines where necessary and all other preventive measures are the mainstay of the effort to curb the infection.
“The mainstay is to treat people if they are dehydrated, so they can replace lost fluids, maintain personal, environmental and sanitary hygiene, etc. We talk about boiling water before eating, washing hands after using the toilet, and before and after preparing food. If anybody suspects contamination, they should boil water before drinking and using it. It is a combination of all these preventive measures that will go a long way in helping to curb the outbreak,” Idris said.
PUNCH
Elder statesman and former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, has commissioned the newly renovated and re-equipped Neonatal and Special Babies Ward at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Parklane, Enugu.
The commissioning formed part of the activities marking the 2026 Children’s Day celebration which was attended by top government officials, healthcare professionals and stakeholders in the health sector.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, commended the intervention and described it as a major boost to healthcare delivery and neonatal care in the state.
He also praised the former governor for coming out to honour the unveiling of the project despite his busy schedules, saying his love for the people of the state would continue to resonate with the administration.
The project, which was facilitated through the Cecilia Oyebola Foundation founded by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Yomi Jaye, was equipped with modern incubators, infusion and syringe pumps, phototherapy equipment, autoclave machines, baby monitoring devices and upgraded nursing facilities aimed at improving neonatal care and reducing infant mortality.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Mbah during the ceremony, Prof. Onyia lauded Dr. Jaye for his dedication and personal sacrifice towards advancing healthcare delivery in Enugu State.
According to him, the intervention reflected the culture of service and collective responsibility encouraged by the Mbah administration, where public officials contribute beyond their official responsibilities towards the development of the state.
He described Dr. Jaye, who also marked his 51st birthday, as a committed and exemplary public servant whose dedication continued to strengthen confidence in the administration’s healthcare transformation agenda.
Prof. Onyia further stated that the Mbah administration had transformed ESUT Teaching Hospital from the condition it met in 2023 into a modern and rapidly improving medical institution capable of competing with leading healthcare facilities across the country.
He reiterated the commitment of Governor Mbah’s administration to building a world-class healthcare system through sustained investments in infrastructure, equipment and manpower development.
Performing the commissioning and ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside his wife, Dr. Patricia Nwobodo, Senator Nwobodo expressed admiration over the quality of facilities installed at the neonatal ward.
He praised the governor for what he described as unprecedented transformation in the health sector and insisted that the governor deserved overwhelming support for re-election in 2027.
According to the former governor, the facilities and standards at the ward compared favourably with what is obtainable in advanced countries, stressing that the development further demonstrated that the current administration was delivering tangible results across critical sectors.
In his remarks, Dr. Yomi Jaye explained that the project was inspired by his lifelong commitment to children’s welfare and dedicated to the memory of his late mother, who was a teacher.
He disclosed that the renovated ward was designed in line with modern infection prevention protocols critical to newborn survival, recalling the painful loss of his almost twin brother due to infection-related complications.
Dr. Jaye noted that the intervention aligned with Governor Mbah’s vision of transforming healthcare delivery through preventive and patient-centred care, adding that ongoing investments in hospitals, primary healthcare and medical training had continued to reposition Enugu as a leading healthcare destination.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of ESUTH Parklane, Prof. Bethrand Ngwu, expressed gratitude to Governor Mbah and Dr. Jaye for their interventions and support towards improving healthcare services in the hospital.
He stated that the administration’s investments had significantly improved healthcare delivery and staff morale, assuring that the newly installed facilities would be properly maintained and maximally utilised for the benefit of newborns and other vulnerable patients requiring specialised care.
In 2024, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, revealed that Nigeria had about 55,000 licensed doctors.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Pate disclosed that no fewer than 16,000 doctors had left the country in the past five years, while about 17,000 others had been transferred out of active service.
Worrisomely, a new revelation by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, indicates that the number of practising doctors in Nigeria has declined from 55,000 to 40,000 within just one year.
In his presentation at a one-day leadership dialogue in Lagos themed “Strengthening PHC Systems: A Joint Leadership Dialogue,” Abayomi identified manpower shortage as one of the most critical challenges facing the health sector.
The dialogue, organised by the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board with support from development partners, addressed barriers hindering PHCs from meeting expectations and proposed practical solutions for building sustainable PHCs with lasting impact.
Abayomi stated that Lagos currently has only 7,000 doctors serving an estimated 30 million residents, far below the number needed for optimal care delivery.
The commissioner raised concerns over the acute shortage of health workers in the state, disclosing that the state requires an additional 33,000 doctors to meet the healthcare demands of its growing population.
“Nigeria currently has about 40,000 doctors against an estimated need of 300,000, while Lagos alone requires about 33,000 doctors but has only about 7,000,” he said.
According to him, Lagos’ doctor-to-population ratio remains far below what is required for optimal healthcare delivery, noting that the state’s doctors are serving an estimated population of nearly 30 million people.
To address the shortfall, Abayomi said the state government is investing in its newly established University of Medicine and Health.
“Within five years, UMH will produce about 2,500 healthcare workers annually, including laboratory scientists and other essential cadres,” he stated.
The mass exodus of healthcare professionals popularly known as japa syndrome, especially doctors, nurses, and pharmacists has remained a major concern in Nigeria.
A 2017 survey conducted by a Nigerian polling organisation in partnership with Nigeria Health Watch revealed that about 88 per cent of Nigerian doctors were seeking job opportunities abroad at the time.
The President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Bala Audu, recently warned that Nigeria has moved beyond passive brain drain and has become a direct recruitment hub for foreign governments seeking skilled medical professionals.
In an interview, Audu revealed that international recruiters now visit Nigeria to directly hire doctors—particularly specialists such as obstetricians, gynaecologists, and paediatricians—offering them superior working conditions, remuneration, and infrastructure.
He lamented that while Nigeria’s population continues to grow and mortality rates remain high, the country is losing specialists at an alarming rate.
“Many of our doctors are not even going abroad to look for jobs. Foreign governments now come into Nigeria to pick doctors and take them away,” Audu said.
“We are still having more births, yet maternal deaths remain high because the skilled birth attendants who should care for these women are reducing every day.”
Audu added that in some specialties, the number of Nigerian doctors practising abroad may already exceed those still working within the country, a situation worsened by the government’s failure to significantly improve doctors’ welfare despite existing policy frameworks.
Experts have warned that with the current pace of emigration, it would be impossible for Nigeria to produce enough health workers to meet its growing healthcare demands. They estimate that it would take at least 20 years to train the over 400,000 health workers required to close the gap.
A former President of the NMA, Prof. Mike Ogirima, described Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio as “horrible,” noting that the country currently has about one doctor to 8,000 patients—far below the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of one doctor to 600 patients.
Nigerian health communication researcher, Ifesinachi Ayogu, has attributed the rising number of cancer-related deaths in the country to the neglect of routine self-breast examination among women and routine Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing among men.
Ayogu told journalists on Monday that the failure to prioritise regular screening had contributed significantly to late detection of breast and prostate cancers, which are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in Nigeria.
He said many cancer cases were only discovered when the disease had reached advanced stages, making treatment more complex and survival chances lower.
According to him, the increasing burden of cancer deaths calls for a more intentional and sustained approach to cancer awareness, early detection, and preventive health behaviour.
“Early detection saves lives, but many people are not practising simple, routine screening that could help detect cancer early,” Ayogu said.
He noted that breast cancer and prostate cancer were often manageable when detected early, but ignorance, fear, stigma, and limited awareness continued to discourage people from carrying out regular checks.
The researcher explained that self-breast examination allows women to notice unusual lumps or changes early, while routine PSA testing helps detect prostate abnormalities before symptoms become severe.
Ayogu said deaths resulting from breast and prostate cancers were often preventable, stressing that delayed diagnosis was a major factor contributing to high mortality rates.
He added that many Nigerians still lacked basic information on how to conduct self-breast examinations, when to go for PSA tests, and where to seek appropriate medical care.
The health communication researcher emphasised the need for community-based education, especially in rural areas, using trusted platforms such as churches, markets, women’s groups, and radio programmes to promote routine screening practices.
He also urged healthcare providers and public health institutions to intensify public education on cancer prevention and ensure that screening information was simple, accurate, and accessible.
Ayogu advised individuals with a family history of breast or prostate cancer to be particularly vigilant about routine screening and healthy lifestyle practices.
He stressed that promoting routine self-breast examination and PSA testing would play a critical role in reducing late presentation and improving cancer survival outcomes in Nigeria.
Ifeshinachi Ayogu is a PhD graduate student, at the University of Oklahoma United States of America, his core interest is cancer communication, according to him, he believes that the next breakthroughs in cancer care for Nigerian women and men will not come from medicine alone.
The Federal Government said it had intensified monitoring and screening procedures at all points of entry in response to the ongoing outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Director of Port Health Services at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Akpan Nse, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday.
Nse also noted that additional staff had been employed to strengthen border surveillance in the country.
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Kasai Province, where 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths, including four health workers, had been reported as of September 5, 2025.
The outbreak comes at a time when much of Central and West Africa is grappling with overlapping health and humanitarian crises, including cholera, malnutrition, and population displacement.
The DRC’s last outbreak of Ebola virus disease occurred in the north-western Equateur Province in April 2022.
It was brought under control within three months.
In Kasai Province, previous Ebola outbreaks were reported in 2007 and 2008. Overall, the country has experienced 15 outbreaks since the disease was first identified in 1976.
Ebola virus disease is a rare but severe, often fatal illness in humans.
It is transmitted to people through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats (believed to be the natural hosts). Human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person, contaminated objects, or the body of someone who died from the disease.
In the ongoing outbreak, samples tested on September 3 at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the capital, Kinshasa, confirmed that the cause was Ebola Zaire, a strain of the Ebola virus.
Dr Nse noted that although Nigeria was at risk of importing the virus due to high levels of international travel with the DRC, Port Health Services was on alert and had strengthened surveillance to prevent this.
He said, “We have intensified surveillance at all points of entry across the country—airports, land borders, and seaports. Every inbound traveller coming from Congo to Nigeria is thoroughly screened, and we collect their medical history through mandatory forms.
“We have also reactivated our portals. Every passenger on every flight coming to Nigeria from Congo is screened upon arrival. This applies to airports, seaports, and land borders. Even if passengers transit through Congo on their way to Nigeria, they must undergo screening.
“In addition, with support from WHO, we have recruited more staff to enhance surveillance. Increasing the workforce allows us to effectively prevent the importation of the virus and ensure thorough screening at all borders.”
He added that some private organisations had partnered the Federal Government to ensure that thermal scanners at airports remained fully functional.
Meanwhile, the WHO has released $500,000 from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to support the response to the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the DR Congo.
Announcing this at a media briefing on global health issues on Friday, the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, disclosed that 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths had been reported so far, including four health workers.
He highlighted that the UN body already had staff on the ground in Kasai, with more on the way.
“We’re joining rapid response teams to trace contacts and find cases; we’re collecting and testing samples, and we’re providing technical expertise in surveillance, infection prevention and control, treatment, risk communication, and more. WHO has also delivered personal protective equipment, laboratory equipment, medical supplies, and a mobile laboratory.
“We had previously prepositioned 2000 doses of Ebola vaccine in Kinshasa, which we are releasing to vaccinate contacts and health workers. This is the 16th outbreak of Ebola in the DRC, and the government has rich experience from those previous outbreaks,” the WHO boss stated.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says the country has recorded a total of 807 suspected cases of cerebrospinal meningitis, and 74 deaths from 22 states as of March 26, 2025
The NCDC stated that the Case Fatality Rate is at 9.2 per cent as of March 26, 2025.3.27
The centre disclosed this in a statement titled: “CSM outbreak: NCDC rapid response teams in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Katsina states,” signed by its Head of Corporate Communication, Sani Datti, on Thursday.
It said its Rapid Response Teams are already in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Katsina states in response to the ongoing outbreak of CSM.
It noted that the deployment follows a significant increase in suspected cases reported from these states.
“As of 26th March 2025, a total of 807 suspected cases and 74 deaths have been reported across 22 states, with a CFR of 9.2 per cent.
“Affected states include Kebbi, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Ebonyi, Oyo, Bauchi, Ondo, Kaduna, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Ekiti, Niger, Plateau, FCT, and Sokoto.
Idris emphasised the importance of personal safety and instructed all team members to strictly observe infection prevention and control protocols throughout the response effort.
“The deployed teams, comprising multisectoral and interdisciplinary experts—including specialists in case management and lumbar puncture techniques—are already in the affected states and working closely with the state health authorities to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.
“Key objectives of the response include rapid containment of the outbreak; strengthening case management and IPC measures; enhancing surveillance and sample collection; conducting risk communication and community engagement activities; and identifying the outbreak’s source and recommending appropriate public health actions.
“The NCDC remains committed to supporting state governments and partners to safeguard the health of Nigerians through timely and effective response to public health threats,” he stated.
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