Nigeria is grappling with a significant statewide surge in cholera infections, prompting public health and internal medicine experts to issue stark warnings about the severe consequences of poorly treated cholera. They highlighted that inadequate treatment could lead to kidney failure, stroke, and even death.
In separate interviews with PUNCH Healthwise, the experts stressed the importance of timely hospital presentation for cholera patients. They warned that delays in seeking medical care significantly increase the risk of fatal outcomes and preventable complications.
Recently, the Lagos State Government attributed the high number of cholera-related deaths to patients presenting late at hospitals. Since the outbreak began earlier this month, Lagos has reported 29 deaths and 30 patients currently receiving treatment.
Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), revealed that 1,528 suspected cases and 53 deaths have been recorded across 31 states and 107 local government areas since the start of the year.
Cholera, an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae, can lead to severe dehydration and death if untreated. Symptoms include vomiting, stooling, nausea, low blood pressure, rapid weight loss, and muscle cramps.
The NCDC has reported that dehydration is the primary cause of death in patients with acute diarrhoeal infections. Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluid than it takes in, leading to inadequate fluids for normal bodily functions.
Professor Best Ordinioha, a community medicine and public health expert at the University of Port Harcourt, explained that severe dehydration from cholera could lead to organ failure. “If the person has gone into severe dehydration and has lost a lot of fluids, that residual capacity the body has will be lost such that the person can easily be tipped into organ failure,” he said.
Ordinioha detailed how the severe loss of body fluids from cholera can result in the shutdown of body organs, including the kidneys, which can fail due to reduced blood flow. He added that thickened blood due to fluid loss could lead to strokes or heart attacks.
Dr. Olusina Ajidahun, an internal medicine specialist, noted that the loss of fluids and essential electrolytes from cholera leads to dehydration and could cause hypovolemic shock, a leading cause of death in cholera patients. He warned that untreated cholera could result in multi-organ dysfunction, particularly affecting the kidneys.
Ajidahun emphasized that while acute kidney injury from cholera is reversible if treated promptly, delayed or inadequate care could lead to irreversible kidney damage and increased mortality rates.
Both experts urged Nigerians to seek immediate medical care for cholera symptoms and to adhere to preventive measures to curb the spread of the infection. They also cautioned against turning to unverified herbal treatments, which could worsen health outcomes.
The experts reiterated that proper management of cholera could prevent fatalities, while inadequate care and late hospital presentation would diminish the chances of survival.
