Cholera: Two Kano inmates die

Prisoners inside a correctional facility

Two inmates have died following a cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kano State, the Nigerian Correctional Service has said.

The NCoS said the outbreak was confirmed through laboratory tests on September 23 by its medical team and Kano State public health authorities.

In a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesman, Chief Superintendent of Corrections, J.N. Osuji, the Service said the outbreak was first detected on September 17 after an inmate began to vomit and stool.

“The inmate was immediately admitted and treated at the facility’s medical centre, while emergency medical protocols were activated the following morning as health workers intensified medical intervention and monitoring,” Osuji said.

According to the statement, one of the deaths occurred at the custodial centre, while the other was recorded at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital.

The Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and directed that measures to protect inmates and personnel be sustained.

“The Service regrets that the outbreak claimed two lives; one at the facility and the other at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital,” the statement said.

The NCoS said its coordinated interventions had brought the outbreak under control, adding that no further deaths had been recorded since the diagnosis.

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It said additional preventive measures had also been introduced in collaboration with the Kano State Government to reduce the risk of another outbreak.

The service added that continuous disease surveillance, early detection and prompt medical intervention were being strengthened across custodial facilities.

Nwakuche also directed a team of senior medical personnel from the Service’s National Headquarters to proceed to the facility for sustained monitoring.

“The Controller-General has further directed a team of senior medical personnel from the Service’s National Headquarters to proceed to the facility for sustained monitoring of the situation,” the statement added.

The service reassured the public that healthcare services remained available to inmates through qualified medical personnel and urged Nigerians to rely on verified information from official channels.