Agency Debunks Rumoured Cholera Outbreak In Bauchi

The Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BASPHCDA) has declared that there is no outbreak of Cholera in the state, saying however that what had been discovered was diarrhea among children under five years caused by Rotavirus.

Executive chairman of BASPHCDA, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, made the declaration while speaking during a one-day orientation for media professionals on the introduction of Rotavirus vaccination into routine immunisation held at the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) in Bauchi.

He said it was a new thing because since 2012 efforts had been intensified by the federal government on how to get the Rotavirus vaccine in large quantity, stressing that it had been approved for use by the World Health Organisation (WHO) since then.

Mohammed added; “There is an outbreak of diarrhea in Bauchi LGA, we checked in about nine communities, we thought it was cholera but it is not, it might be Rotavirus which is the commonest cause of diarrhea in children but when we don’t isolate Rotavirus, we say it is gastroenteritis, that is diarrhea without cause. It is Rotavirus that is causing that”.

“I must congratulate NPHCDA, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Bauchi State government for making sure that the vaccine is available and the introduction is also fast so that before the end of the month it will be in all of our facilities.