By Gabriel Ameh
MAIDUGURI, BORNO – Healthcare facilities across Borno State are under intense pressure following a rapid increase in suspected cholera cases, with more than 35,500 infections and 198 deaths recorded as of July 12, 2026.
According to the Borno State Ministry of Health, the outbreak began on May 1, 2026, and has spread rapidly across communities, driven by overcrowded informal settlements, poor sanitation, inadequate waste management and limited access to safe drinking water.
Among those affected is 13-year-old Muhammad Usman, who was rushed by ambulance to a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)-supported Cholera Treatment Centre in Maiduguri after developing severe symptoms, including persistent vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain.
His mother, Hadiza Ali, said the situation became critical after the teenager lost consciousness.
“He started vomiting, had diarrhoea and complained of stomach pain. Later, he lost consciousness. We realised it could be cholera,” she said.
Cholera is a highly infectious bacterial disease transmitted through contaminated food and water. It causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration and can become fatal within hours if left untreated.
In response to the growing emergency, MSF, in collaboration with the Borno State Ministry of Health and humanitarian partners, has expanded its cholera response across the state.
The medical organisation currently supports two Cholera Treatment Centres, five Cholera Treatment Units and 17 Oral Rehydration Points, bringing lifesaving treatment closer to affected communities.
MSF said it has treated more than 24,000 patients with suspected cholera since the outbreak began, with more than one in every four patients arriving with severe symptoms.
MSF Project Medical Coordinator in Maiduguri, Bienfait Tombola, warned that despite scaling up emergency interventions, the disease continues to spread faster than response efforts.
He attributed the persistent transmission to inadequate access to clean water, poor sanitation and limited healthcare services in many affected communities.
The organisation also expressed concern over low public awareness about how cholera spreads.
One patient, 65-year-old Kyari Ali, said several members of his family and community had contracted the disease but admitted he did not know how the infection was transmitted.
To contain the outbreak, MSF has intensified public awareness campaigns, strengthened infection prevention measures, trained healthcare workers and supported improvements in water and sanitation through water chlorination initiatives.
The organisation also supported health authorities during an oral cholera vaccination campaign conducted in early July, which reached more than 2.6 million people across affected communities.
Despite these interventions, MSF warned that many residents, particularly those living in informal settlements, still lack access to clean water, sanitation facilities and adequate healthcare, allowing the disease to continue spreading.
The outbreak has also extended beyond Borno into neighbouring Plateau State, where health authorities have reported 102 suspected cholera cases as of July 12.
MSF called for urgent expansion of vaccination campaigns, improved access to safe drinking water, stronger disease surveillance and increased healthcare support to prevent further infections and save lives.
