A cholera control centre has been set up in Umarari, Maiduguri, to treat and control the spread of the disease.
Residents told RNI reporter Alkali Mustapha that they were happy to have the centre close by because they did not have medicines, money or the means to reach the hospital, which was far away.
Modu Kur said: “We suffered before because the hospital we go to is in Ajalari Cross which is far from us. It is very difficult to reach and hard to access. In the night, if one feels sick and does not have a car, it can be a life-or-death situation. But now that we have this care centre and we can help one another to receive treatment whenever we need to.
“We used to carry sick people, or use a wheelbarrow, to get them to the centre. But the health workers told us to stop because if the sick person had cholera there was a chance we might get it. They told us we had to contact the centre directly.
“Now when we report cases of suspected cholera, health workers come by ambulance and pick up the patient. At the centre there doctors on hand to treat them. The moment a patient is admitted to the centre, no one is allowed to visit, take food or other items. Visitation is restricted to stop the spread of cholera within the community.”
Kur said the community had lost people to cholera. “If that happens they carry the corpse to their mortuary. They won’t allow us to have any contact with the sick or dead person because we might get the disease and spread it.”
Muhammad Ali Ngarnam said: “We used to have lots of problems because we did not have a hospital near us. We used to take cholera patients to far-away places, such as the Gomari area of Maiduguri. But we now have this centre. Treatment is free and the health workers give much support to families and patients.
“The health workers do not allow us to take food or water to the patients. They feed and take care of patients freely then, when they have regained their health, they discharge patients all at no cost to us.”
Ngarnam said he and others had lost people because of the outbreak. “Now we are more hopeful that we won’t lose anyone else because the centre is close by, and the care and treatment are free. Even very poor people can now afford to go for treatment.
“We just hope now that this dreadful disease will be brought under control and stop spreading in our communities.”
RNI tried to contact health workers at the centre but got no response.
AISHA SD JAMAL
