Nigeria Unveils $124m Plan to Eradicate Cholera

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Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria's Health and Social Welfare Minister.

In its quest to eradicate cholera through a multi sectoral approach, the Nigerian government on Tuesday launched the National Strategic Plan of Action on Cholera Control (NSPACC) 2025-2029.

The plan aims to reduce annual cholera incidence and deaths by 90 per cent and lower the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) to below 1% by 2029.

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The 124 million dollar initiative was hosted in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and international health partners, marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to combat cholera and safeguard public health.

Representing Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachallom stressed on the urgent need for a coordinated response to halt the frequent outbreaks of cholera in the country.

“The Ministry of Health is working closely with other ministries and partners to implement this plan, which is built on key pillars such as leadership and coordination, surveillance, case management, cholera vaccination, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), as well as public awareness and research”, Prof. Pate said in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

Nigeria Unveils $124m Plan to Eradicate Cholera MediaageNG In its quest to eradicate cholera through a multi sectoral approach, the Nigerian government on Tuesday launched the National Strategic Plan of Action on Cholera Control (NSPACC) 2025-2029.
The unveiling

While emphasising on the government’s commitment to cholera prevention, preparedness, and response, Pate pointed out that eliminating cholera in Nigeria can be spurred collaboratively amongst government agencies, development partners, private sector actors, and local communities.

“Cholera has been eradicated in other parts of the world—why is it still affecting Nigeria? We must act collectively to change this reality,” he said.

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He beckoned stakeholders to commit to the plan’s implementation and ensure that the country builds resilient health and sanitation systems to prevent future outbreaks.

Director‐General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), said that the NSPACC, led by the Ministries of Health, Water Resources and Sanitation, and Environment, aligned with the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) and the Global Roadmap to Ending Cholera.

Dr Jide Idris added that the plan identified 134 hotspot Local Government Areas (LGAs) across 21 states, which account for 71.1 per cent of cholera cases and 65.6 per cent of deaths, despite representing only 17.7 per cent of Nigeria’s population.

He said that the key interventions under the plan include scaling up Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) coverage Improving WASH infrastructure to provide safe drinking water and sanitation, strengthening epidemiological surveillance and laboratory capacity, and enhancing public awareness campaigns on cholera prevention.

Dr. Jide further posited that the five-year plan requires 124 million dollars, with an annual budget of 20 million dollars, primarily allocated to WASH initiatives, followed by OCV programmes and laboratory services.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, represented by Permanent Secretary Mr Richard Pheelangwah, gav assurances of the ministry’s commitment to expanding access to safe drinking water and improving sanitation to prevent cholera outbreaks.

Environment Minister, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, represented by Mr Mahmud Kambari, emphasised the role of environmental health efforts in disease prevention. Lawal highlighted ongoing initiatives such as national sanitation programs, environmental health surveillance, and routine water treatment.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) launched the Ending Cholera: A Global Roadmap to 2030, aiming to reduce global cholera deaths by 90 per cent and eliminate the disease in at least 20 countries by 2030. Nigeria responded by developing NSPACC to accelerate cholera control by 2029 through prevention, timely detection, and a multi-sectoral approach.

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