Dirty water used to illustrate the story

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has raised urgent concerns over a fast-spreading cholera outbreak in Zamfara State, Nigeria, reporting over 1,500 suspected cases from facilities it supports. The worst-hit areas include Shinkafi, Zurmi, and Talata Mafara, where access to clean water is critically low.

MSF Medical Coordinator in Nigeria, David Kizito, noted that cholera — endemic in Nigeria — intensifies between April and October due to flooding, which contaminates water sources. The outbreak has been worsened by insecurity, displacement, and poor sanitation.

Since June, MSF and partners have expanded treatment capacity, opening Cholera Treatment Centres (CTCs) and Units (CTUs) across the state. They are also boosting Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions and promoting preventive measures, including safe drinking water, hygiene practices, and urgent vaccination.

MSF stressed the need for decentralized oral rehydration points, improved surveillance, and full community participation to halt the spread, stating that “no one should die from a preventable disease.”