Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi No fewer than 16 people have been confirmed dead following the outbreak of cholera in Bauchi State as the state government has declared an emergency. The confirmation was contained in a leaked memo from the State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, addressed to International Donor Partners, titled “Declaration of Cholera Outbreak in Bauchi State,” dated August 1, 2026, and signed by the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Sani Mabammed Dambam. According to the memo, “To all Partners and Donor Agencies. Bauchi State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to inform the general public and our development partners, following an increase in reported cases of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) and the laboratory confirmation of cholera cases, the Honourable Commissioner for Health & Social Welfare, based on the recommendation of the state epidemiology team and public health emergency operation center, has officially declared a cholera outbreak in the state.” It further contained, “This declaration is made in line with the International Health Regulations (2005). The National Technical Guidelines for Cholera Preparedness and Response, and the established public health emergency management procedures of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.” Giving the Cholera Situation Analysis, the ministry stated that, “As of 31 July 2026, the State has recorded 398 suspected cholera cases across 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs). 16 mortalities have been recorded with a case fatality rate of 4%.” The six most affected LGAs are: Toro with 231 cases, Alkaleri with 46 cases, Kirfi with 46 cases, Ganjuwa with 21 cases, Bauchi with 14 cases, and Tafawa Balewa with 14 cases. Furthermore, the ministry stated that “laboratory investigations have confirmed active cholera transmission in the State. To date, six PCR-confirmed cases of Vibrio cholerae 01 Ogawa have been identified. These laboratory findings provide definitive evidence of cholera transmission in the State.” It added, “In accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) Guidelines, the confirmation of six PCR-positive cases, together with the increasing number of suspected cases and their spread across multiple LGAs, therefore fulfils the epidemiological and laboratory criteria for the official declaration of a cholera outbreak in Bauchi State.” “The Bauchi State Government has activated a coordinated multisectoral response involving Governance and coordination, surveillance, laboratory services, case management, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), infection prevention and control, logistics and risk communication and community engagement,” it added. The ministry further stated that, “Rapid Response Teams have been deployed to affected LGAs, while treatment centres have been strengthened and essential medical commodities have been mobilised to support effective outbreak response.” It then stressed that, “all stakeholders and development partners are therefore invited to support the government in mobilizing resources and technical expertise to ensure a well- coordinated response. Thank you for your continuous partnership and support.” Meanwhile, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Desk Officers from eight LGAs in Bauchi State with reported cholera outbreaks have been trained to better prepare for and respond to the situation. The workshop on Case Area Targeted Intervention (CATI), on preparedness and the presentation of cholera outbreaks in high-risk areas, was organised by the Bauchi State Government through the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Speaking at the workshop, UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist, Bauchi Field Office, Nambam Dawap said, “We are here to prepare a response to a possible cholera outbreak; we want to train the WASH Desk Officers from the eight high-risk LGAs to equip them on how to respond effectively.” She added that, “UNICEF is focused on child survival, especially around the first 1,000 days of a child. Cholera is a fundamental concern when it comes to child survival, especially the 1,000 days that I mentioned earlier. Where water is not safe, where there is inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene, there is a very high risk for cholera outbreaks and diarrhea and other water- and sanitation-related diseases.”
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