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Last Updated: Friday, November 12th, 2004 HOME | Previous Page
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50 feared dead in cholera outbreak in Edo
By Benson Agwu
Correspondent, Benin-City
A palace chief of Luleha clan, in Uzebba Community in Owan West Council of Edo State, and 49 others have been reported
dead following an outbreak of cholera in the area.
Over 300 persons are also confirmed to be currently undergoing treatment at the General Hospital in Uzebba and
Sabongida-Ora.
Chief Ode Atalagbe, the Adolo of Luleha clan, had died with 49 others when the epidemic was first noticed in the
area last week when they allegedly failed to visit orthodox hospitals.
A breakdown of the death record shows that 12 gave up the ghost at Uzebba while Okpuje had six followed by Okagbon
with three recorded deaths in the list available to Daily Independent in Benin City.
The cause of the cholera outbreak has not been confirmed as of the time of this report, but it was being speculated
that those who died might have been due to drinking of contaminated water. Mr Godwin Ovbiagele, the Edo State Commissioner
for Health, who visited the victims of the cholera at Uzebba and Sabongida General Hospital, directed that treatment
be administered on the victims at the state government�s expense.
He said that the ministry is doing everything within its resources to see that the epidemic is curtailed from spreading
to the remaining parts of the state.
Ovbiagele, who was accompanied on the emergency visit by medical personnel from both the state ministry of health
and the Hospital Management Board, was conducted round the different wards in the hospital by one Dr Anthony Erese
of Uzebba General Hospital as well as the Vice Chairman of Owan West Local Government Area, Mr Julius Aigbogun.
The health minister, while sympathising with the families of those who lost their lives to the scourge, described
the epidemic as catastrophic, adding that the state government would put necessary machinery in place to re-enforce
the primary health care in the community for enhanced performance to avert a recurrence of the outbreak.
While attributing the cause of the epidemic to poor hygiene and untreated water, the commissioner advised the people
in the locality to take their health in their own hands by ensuring that, they boil their water before drinking
it as well as ensuring that they wash their hands before consumption of every edible thing.
Ovbiagele noted that such epidemic was experienced in the state 30 years ago in 1974 precisely, adding that 20
medical experts would be sent from both the ministry of health and the hospital management board at Uzebba and
Sabongidda-Ora general hospitals to reinforce and beef up the number of manpower on ground, for better delivery
of health services to the victims of the scourge.
He added that drugs, vaccines and other medical materials would be administered to the patients free of charge
by the state government as a way of demonstrating its avowed commitment to their welfare.
While reiterating that all hands must be on deck to ensure the quick recovery of the victims, he called on the
federal government to collaborate with the state government, in the area of providing vaccines to inoculate the
people from being affected.
Commissioner Ovbiagele also used the occasion to announce the visit of the Minister of Health, Professor Eyitayo
Lambo to the state for the Cholera outbreak.
He ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of one Mrs. Afegbai who was alleged to be running a health centre
for practicing quackery, which the state government according to the health commissioner is making effort to stamp
out of the health sector.
The commissioner and his team also visited the Okumagbe of Luleha, HRH Ayo Omo-Bare II in his palace to commiserate
with him over the death of his Chief Ode Atalagbe the Adolor of Luleha, as a result of cholera outbreak.
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