Govt panics as Plateau cholera deaths rise

Confusion has enveloped government officials in Plateau State as the
death toll in the cholera outbreak at Namu village in Qua'an Pan Local
Government area of the state has risen to nine. More than 96 people
are also said to be on the danger list.
The disease broke out among more than 7, 000 refugees fleeing from the
Ombatshe cult onslaught in the neighbouring Nasarawa State.
An emergency team, led by the Executive Secretary, Plateau State
Emergency Management Agency, Alhassan Barde, has been dispatched, for
the second time, to the area to assess the situation.
It was further gathered that the response was sequel to the interest
shown by the Federal Ministry of Health, which had expressed worry
over the poor response of the health officials in Jos and had begun an
investigation.
Chief Consultant Epidemiologist in the ministry, Dr. Akin Oyemakinde,
had said the investigation would determine the kind of intervention to
be deployed in the community.
The job of some officials of the epidemiological and primary health
care units of the ministry are also said to be on the line. The
investigative team of the FMH, which has arrived in the community, was
led by a deputy director, Dr. Moses Anafiong