Cholera vaccination for 1m in Borno 

From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri 

About one million people are expected to receive Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) in the five-day vaccination campaigns against cholera in Borno State.

The exercise, which started on Monday, following outbreak of cholera in camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) will end on Friday, Borno State Commissioner for Health, Dr Haruna Mshelia, disclosed this at the vaccination flag-off, in Maiduguri, yesterday.

He said anyone over one year can receive the oral vaccine.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), which is leading the campaign, with other national and international partners, said 915, 005 doses of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) have been delivered for use in Borno.

WHO said vaccination will take place at Muna IDPs camp in Maiduguri, a place worst-hit with about 30 dead and 1,113 cases reported in two weeks.

Other areas targeted include Jere,  Dikwa and Monguno towns liberated from Boko Haram by the military in 2015. Cholera has killed 44 people in Borno, with nearly 2, 000 affected persons already treated.

Deputy Local Immunisation Officer (LIO) in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Babakolo Waziri, told newsmen during the monitoring of the campaign that 348, 418 doses have been received to conduct the vaccination. He said the council targets same number of people.

He disclosed that 268 teams assisted by 268 community leaders would handle the campaign at the metropolis.

The outbreak of Cholera in the state is believed to have exacerbated humanitarian crisis in the area bedeviled by over six years insurgency that displaced about 3 million people.