Nigeria Struggles with Cholera Pandemic.
Abuja, Nigeria
Nearly 800 people have died in Nigeria in the past two months in a cholera pandemic, worst ever to be reported in two decades, spreading over to neighbouring countries where it has also claimed lives.
So far about 13,000 people have been confirmed infected as more cases are being recorded daily in the already congested poorly funded government health centres.
About 400 people are reported to have died in neighbouring Cameroon and more than 40 in Chad as other cases have been reported in Niger.
The Nigerian national health ministry has described the situation as being ‘under control’ following no new deaths being reported in the recent past. The outbreak has mostly been blamed on the heavy seasonal rainfall and poor sanitation.
Health workers in affected regions are going round providing the public with information on how to avoid contracting the disease apart from spraying anti-bacterial disinfectants on the streets and chlorinating wells.
Cholera, an acute diarrhoeal infection is caused by bacteria contained in contaminated food or water. It continues to be a global threat to public health and key indicator of lack of social development due to ever increasing size of vulnerable population living in unsanitary conditions.
Over half of Nigeria’s 150 million people live below standard sanitation levels and lack clean water according to the World Heath Organization (WHO).
Conakry, Guinea
Guinea Suspends Polls Campaign Amid Chaos
The Electoral commission in Guinea has provisionally suspended campaigns for the September 19 presidential election after one person was killed and several others injured in violence when to top rival parties supporters clashed in the capital, Conakry.
The interim Prime Minister Jean-Marie Dore called an emergency cabinet meeting on Sunday to discuss the crisis that saw suspension of all campaigns and ban on demonstrations.
There has been heavy deployment of police forces in the capital’s streets, as Dore has vowed to prosecute anyone who violates the ban by holding demonstrations. He urged both candidates to control their supporters.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo of Democratic Forces in Guinea (UDFG) and veteran opposition leader Alpha Conde of People of Guinea (RPG) had clashed on Saturday and Sunday after Friday’s announcement of conviction of head of electoral commission.
Last week head of electoral commission and a senior official were each sentenced to one year jail term for interfering with votes in the first round of the presidential polls held in June.
Tension between the Peul and Malinke country’s two main ethnic communities continues to soar, with Mr. Dallote a Peul expected to win the run-off after emerging with 44 percent against 18 percent for Conde, a Malinke.
Military junta ruler Gen Sekouba Konate had promised to return power to civilian rule after the elections. He took over in 2008 after death of autocratic leader Lansana Conte who had ruled for 24 years.
The June polls marks as the country’s first democratic election since independence from French in 1958. Guinea continues to be gripped by poverty and poor economic performance despite its expansive mineral deposits.