Akwa Ibom Trains 350 Health Workers on Cholera Detection and Sample Management

Akwa Ibom State has continued to strengthen its public health preparedness as the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, officially declared open a Cholera Sample Management and Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDT) Training for 350 health workers across the state.

The event took place on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, at the NLC Conference Hall, Atan Offot, marking the start of a 10-day intensive training programme scheduled to run from 9–18 December 2025. Participants were drawn from the Uyo, Eket, and Ikot Ekpene senatorial districts, representing various health facilities committed to frontline disease surveillance and outbreak response.

Dr. John, in his opening remarks, expressed appreciation to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), national facilitators, and the State Epidemiology Unit of the Directorate of Public Health Services for their unwavering support. He highlighted that recent cholera outbreaks in the state were successfully contained without any fatalities, attributing the success to the professionalism and vigilance of health workers.

He encouraged the 350 trainees to take the programme seriously, reminding them that the medical profession requires integrity, compassion, and a strong ethical responsibility especially during emergencies where life-saving decisions must be made swiftly and accurately.

Dr. John congratulated the selected participants and charged them to become ambassadors of best practices in disease surveillance, early reporting, and case management. He also used the platform to promote Akwa Ibom as a fast-growing leisure and tourism destination, inviting facilitators and guests to explore the state’s serene environment, including attractions such as the Arise Park Resor, often described as the “8th Wonder of the World,” and the Akwa Ibom Golf Resorts.

The Commissioner also expressed gratitude to the Executive Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D., for his transformational leadership and the declaration of a State of Emergency in the health sector. According to him, the Governor’s reforms are already yielding visible results through better infrastructure, improved service delivery, and enhanced health outcomes. He equally praised the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Nchiek Eneh, describing her as humble, dedicated, and exemplary.

Earlier, the Director of Public Health Services, Dr. Etop Antia, welcomed participants and underscored the importance of the training, stressing that Akwa Ibom’s success in curbing recent cholera outbreaks without any casualties shows the strength of its surveillance system and the dedication of its frontline workers.

Goodwill messages also came from the WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Alawole Oluwa Bukola, and an NCDC representative, Mr. Jubril Kareem, who both commended Akwa Ibom for demonstrating strong leadership in public health emergency management. They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the state in areas such as surveillance, laboratory networking, data analysis, and rapid response.

The ongoing training across the three senatorial districts is expected to significantly boost Akwa Ibom’s capacity for early detection, rapid response, and prevention of future cholera outbreaks.