At least five people have died following a cholera outbreak in Ikpide-Irri, a riverine community in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The victims, four women and one man, suffered severe vomiting and diarrhea before succumbing to the disease.
They were unable to access medical care as the community’s only health center has been nonfunctional for years.
Residents revealed that more than five others displaying similar symptoms had to travel two hours to Oleh, the council headquarters, for medical treatment.
The community relies on river water for drinking, as the two boreholes in the area have been out of service for years.
Government tests confirmed the river water is contaminated, prompting officials to warn residents to stop using it as promises were made to provide alternative water sources.
The council chairman, Friday Ovoke Warri, responded promptly upon learning of the outbreak, deploying medical personnel and supplies to prevent further spread.
He also led a delegation—including the state epidemiologist, Ministry of Health staff, and World Health Organization (WHO) officials, to assess the situation, educate residents on cholera prevention, and supply medical aid to the abandoned health center.
Warri urged the community to follow cholera prevention guidelines, stating, “Only a healthy, educated, and secure population can drive sustainable development.”
Ikpide-Irri community chairman, Mike Orufuo, thanked the council chairman and health officials for their swift intervention, describing it as “effective leadership and responsive governance.”
He appealed for the revival of the health center, installation of solar-powered boreholes, and deployment of medical staff to the community.
Orufuo also called on Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and President Bola Tinubu to address the community’s lack of essential amenities, lamenting the unfulfilled promises made during election campaigns.
“It is not only during elections that they should come to Ikpide-Irri for campaigns and promises, only to abandon us afterward,” he said.
Credit: SaharaReporters except headline
