Cholera contained but population should remain vigilant – Buea district medical officer

The medical officer for the Buea health district, Dr Ngund Mathias told MMI correspondents in Buea that the cholera outbreak in the city has been properly contained.

Citing cholera as a very contagious disease that results from poor hygiene and sanitation, Dr Ngund said the population of the district should remain vigilant and report the slightest signs of diarrhea and vomiting.

“We ask people to be on alert and to ensure they detect any cases of diarrhea and vomiting.
“In this last cholera outbreak, we responded very quickly and we contained it. That’s why in one week time, we stopped having suspected cases. But we are not sleeping. Surveillance activities are still going on,” said Dr Ngund.

A cholera outbreak was declared in Buea on September 17 after three suspected cases recorded in the Muea health area were confirmed positive.

According to Dr Ngund, cholera is directly linked with poor hygiene and poor toilet conditions which he said is common in localities in Buea such as Mile 16 and Muea.

The two outskirt neighborhoods are mostly inhabited by Farmers and people with low living standards and potable water and good toilets are hardly present in these localities.

According to Dr Ngund, “cholera is a preventable disease. It is possible to prevent it by improving the living conditions, especially in terms of hygiene and sanitation of the population, that’s why the availability of portable water is one of the strongest points to the prevention.”

He added: “Where there is no source of potable water, the population should either treat the water they are using or boil the water and store it at certain point when it is cooled then they can use it.”

Buea health district is the 5th in the Southwest region to have witnessed an outbreak after Tiko, Limbe, Bakassi, and Ekondo-Titi health districts.

Cholera first broke out in the region in November 2019 in Bakassi health district and has continued to spread to other health districts in the South West region.