In a determined attempt to protect the health of convicts and staff, the Nigerian Correctional Service has increased its efforts to prevent cholera from spreading across its facilities.
The proactive measure comes amid the growing health concerns in Nigeria and the world at large.
The NCoS spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, who spoke with newsmen on Friday, emphasised the service’s stringent measures.
“Our primary mandate includes the secure and humane custody of inmates, ensuring their welfare in all aspects, including health,” Abubakar stated.
He mentioned that, due to preemptive measures, no cholera outbreaks or similar epidemics have occurred in any NCoS facilities.
“Due to our proactiveness, we have not recorded any outbreak of cholera or any such epidemic in any of our custodial centres. Therefore, no inmate or staff is affected,” he added.
Abubakar described the comprehensive healthcare system in existence, which comprised a wide range of medical personnel and dependable medical supplies. Inmates with severe cases were referred to government hospitals.
Chronicle NG reports that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced that the country does not have adequate vaccines to combat the cholera outbreak in the country.
According to Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Nigeria has placed an order for additional cholera vaccines from donor agencies; however, the delivery date is yet unknown.
The NCDC director emphasised the importance of the country adopting vaccines and other preventive measures to combat the spread of acute diarrhoea, as no fewer than 40 people have died from the disease.
