By Abasi Ita , CalabarThe clan head of Ekureku community in Abi Local Government, Central Cross River State, Chief Bernard Egbe has called for urgent intervention from relevant stakeholders in order to stem the raising death toll resulting from the cholera outbreak currently revaging the area
The royal father who spoke while receiving Senator Sandy Onor representing Cross River Central at the Senate during a working visit contended that a comprehensive intervention initiative is seriously needed to checmate the alarming deaths since available health facilities in the area lack the needed manpower and equipment to handle the situation
According to Chief Egbe, ” we are seriously overwhelmed by this unfortunate situation which has claimed 51 lives within few days already, the available health centers lack what it takes to manage the situation. Four of the victims on admission are in critical condition. We need help “
The royal father lauded officials of WHO and UNICEF for their prompt response stressing that more still need to be done by the state government to curtail the menace
Speaking , Senator Sandy Onor, who is also the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party PDP stated that he was in the area to assess the situation while also sympathizing with the community over the lives lost.
In his words” this visit is solely to access the situation on ground in order to determine our intervention options. This could have been prevented if the state water board was still functional as obtainable under Governor Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke”
“It is a huge tragedy that the milestone we attained as a state with regard to availability of safe and portable drinking water which became a reference point in the country has been completely destroyed under the present administration. We intend to revive the public water supply system when we come on board”
Theclarion call by the clan head has contradicted the claim by Dr Janet Ekpenyong, the Director General, Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency who posited that government was on top of the situation.
Dr Ekpenyong who spoke on Sunday stated that only 30 deaths were recorded in area while announcing that the state government has deployed a response team comprising national and global health officials to tackle the outbreak.
According to her” the combined team have intervene accordingly and helped to save lives by preventing further spread of the disease”
Meanwhile, another cholera outbreak has been reported in Eniong, a riverine area of Odukpani Local Government in Cross River South.
Permanent Secretary in the state ministry of health Dr Iwara Iwara who confirms the incident disclosed that government has dispatched men and materials to combat the disease to minimize casualties.