By Admin 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Warri
DELTA: A cholera outbreak in Ikpide-Irri, a riverine community in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, has claimed the lives of five residents—four women and one man.
The victims reportedly suffered severe vomiting and diarrhea before succumbing to the disease, as the community’s only health center has been nonfunctional for years, leaving residents with limited access to medical care.
Community members disclosed that more than five others showing similar symptoms had to travel two hours to Oleh, the council headquarters, to seek treatment.
Speaking on the root of the outbreak, residents revealed that they rely on river water for drinking because the two boreholes in the community have been out of service for years. Recent government tests confirmed that the river water is contaminated.
Upon learning of the outbreak, the council chairman, Friday Ovoke Warri, promptly dispatched medical personnel and supplies to prevent the further spread of the disease. He also led a delegation—including the state epidemiologist, Ministry of Health officials, and representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO)—to the community.
During the visit, the team educated residents on cholera prevention measures, distributed medical supplies, and made temporary provisions for healthcare services at the abandoned health center.
Warri urged residents to adhere to cholera prevention guidelines, emphasizing the need for collective responsibility. “Only a healthy, educated, and secure population can drive sustainable development,” he stated.
The chairman of Ikpide-Irri community, Mike Orufuo, expressed gratitude to the council chairman and health officials for their swift intervention, describing it as “a demonstration of effective leadership and responsive governance.”
Orufuo, however, appealed for sustainable solutions, including the rehabilitation of the health center, installation of solar-powered boreholes, and deployment of medical personnel to the community.
He also called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and President Bola Tinubu to address the community’s lack of essential amenities. “It is not only during elections that they should come to Ikpide-Irri with promises, only to abandon us afterward,” Orufuo lamented.
The outbreak highlights the urgent need for improved healthcare infrastructure and access to clean water in the state’s riverine communities to prevent similar tragedies in the future.