Cholera outbreak has claimed three lives, leaving many in life-threatening conditions in Bulu-Ndoro community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
Many of the sick are in a hospital in neighbouring Bayelsa State.
An Executive Assistant on Political Matters to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of the state, Arede Edeinmene, who spoke to journalists in Warri, appealed to the governor for swift intervention to save the lives of the people living in the Bulu-Ndoro community.
He lamented that the spread of the epidemic has almost affected every household at the moment.
Edeinmene said more worrisome was that the people in the community had no choice but drink and use the contaminated river water as their main source of water for domestic use.
Edeinmene, who is one of the opinion leaders in Bulu-Ndoro community, noted that cholera cases had overwhelmed the existing health centre in the community, adding that the healthcare personnel and facilities have been overstretched.
Calling for more medical manpower, supply of drugs and hospital equipment to complement the only existing health centre in the community, he expressed concern that the deceased victims of the cholera outbreak were the breadwinners of their families.
He decried the absence of pipe-borne water in the community as his people were apprehensive of using water from the Bulu-Ndoro river which is their main source of domestic water and means of livelihood.
According to him, the state’s timely intervention to complement the efforts of Burutu Local Government Area was key to saving the lives of the people, adding that some families have fled the community for fear of contracting the epidemic.
Edeinmene further charged the governor to upgrade the existing health centre to accommodate a resident doctor witha functional water system and electricity.
