Niger State has recorded 100 deaths from cholera from April to date, the Commissioner for Health, Muhammad Makusidi, has said.
Mr Makusidi made this known in an interview with journalists at a workshop for journalists organised by Pathfinder International in Minna.
He attributed the outbreak of cholera to open defecation and indiscriminate waste disposal by rural dwellers.
Mr Makusidi disclosed that the ministry had embarked on an advocacy visit to communities to reduce open defecation, adding that drugs were available to treat affected persons.
The commissioner lauded Pathfinder International for partnering with the state government to expose journalists to advanced family planning as well as child spacing.
“This is key to achieving universal health coverage as well as providing technical support to the state,” he said.
He noted that family planning was essential towards planning for the future, adding that the partnership with pathfinder was to ensure access to the uptake of family planning and acceptability.
Mr Makusidi said that diverse social-cultural and ethno-religious factors were major challenges to decline in family planning by most people.
He added that some of the challenges include inadequate access to commodities, inadequate funds, insecurity in some parts of the state, adding that efforts were being made to address such challenges.
Mr Makusidi said the workshop would help mitigate challenges such as lack of access to family planning products, adding that the government would make budgetary provisions for the project.
(NAN).
