Plateau Govt, UNICEF Deploys Emergency Teams to Halt Cholera Transmission
Jos Afrik24 – The Plateau State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has deployed Case Area Targeted Intervention (CATI), teams to containment zones and vulnerable communities in a direct push to halt an ongoing cholera outbreak.
The initiative follows an intensive four-day training program for state health, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) personnel, with the take-off of field operations in affected communities, including Angwan Damisa and Filin Sata within the Jos North Local Government Area.
Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Bauchi, confirmed that the emergency response aims to reduce fatalities while fortifying local health infrastructure against future outbreaks.
Working alongside the Plateau State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PSPHCDA), UNICEF has supplied cholera vaccines to affected local government areas and continues to provide technical and capacity-building guidance.
According to Rafique, breaking the transmission chain requires an integrated strategy spanning water purification, improved sanitation, vaccination, and active community outreach.
He said the CATI model relies on immediate, geographically focused actions around identified cases.
On her part, Dr. Stella Okafor-Terver, a UNICEF WASH Specialist, explained that deployed units first consult with traditional lleaders is to gain consent and validate reported infections.
Following case verification in Angwan Damisa, where four cases were confirmed, simultaneous operations were launched to chlorinate public water points, disinfect surrounding households, and sanitize the primary healthcare facility treating affected residents.
To ensure rapid coverage, health personnel from Bokkos, Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Jos North, and Jos South Local Government Areas were trained to respond as soon as infection clusters emerge.
Also speaking, Godfrey Dashuwar, General Manager of the Plateau State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), emphasized that lessons learned from previous localized outbreaks highlight the urgent necessity for proactive containment.
Dashuwar appealed to residents for full cooperation, warning that cross-community mobility can accelerate the spread of the disease.
In response, local stakeholders in Angwan Damisa pledged sustained support to ensure long-term sanitation gains.
Ward Head Ahmed Achayi commended the swift intervention and committed his leadership to reinforcing community cleanliness.
Community development leader Salisu Hassan added that traditional and religious networks, including local mosques and public assemblies, will be systematically used to deliver ongoing hygiene and disease-prevention education in local languages.
