The Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has raised concern over the rising cases of cholera in Zamfara State and warned that without urgent intervention, more lives could be lost.
It noted that over 1,500 suspected cases have been recorded from mid-June to early August in three Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities being supported by the organisation across the state, while other humanitarian actors and the state Ministry of Health have also reported high case numbers in additional locations.
In a statement on Thursday, MSF’s medical coordinator in Nigeria, Dr. David Kizito, said that this outbreak is unfolding amid insecurity, displacement, and limited access to clean water and sanitation, adding that it is made worse by the rainy season.
Kizito stressed the need for decentralised oral rehydration points, equipping all primary healthcare centres to treat mild cases, and rolling out urgent cholera vaccinations to halt transmission.
He said, “As cholera continues to threaten lives across Zamfara, MSF remains committed to working with communities, health authorities, and other partners to ensure timely treatment and prevention. No one should die from a preventable disease.”
MSF observed that while cholera has been endemic in Nigeria for decades, seasonal outbreaks typically intensify between April and October. During this period, flooding contaminates water sources, accelerating the spread of the disease in areas with poor sanitation.
The organisation noted that cholera can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting, and if left untreated, can lead to rapid dehydration and even death within hours.
To curb the spread, MSF stated that it has intensified its water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programmes alongside the state MOH, which activated a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre in July.
Medical teams have expanded treatment services across the state. In Zurmi, a Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC) at the General Hospital has treated 562 suspected cases between 16 June and 5 August. Shinkafi General Hospital recorded approximately 401 cases between 11 July and 5 August, including 58 from Isa LGA in Sokoto State. Talata Mafara General Hospital’s Cholera Treatment Unit (CTU) managed over 600 cases between 1 July and 8 August, with Kayaye reporting the highest number.
MSF Head of Mission in Nigeria, Dr. Ahmad Bilal, urged residents to adopt simple but effective preventive measures such as boiling water, washing hands regularly, eating freshly prepared meals, avoiding open defecation, and ensuring vaccinations are up to date.
