Venue: Primary Healthcare Centre, Mairi, Maiduguri, Borno State
Date: 27th August 2026
Target Audience: Women and their households
Number of Beneficiaries Present: 87

INTRODUCTION
Borno State is currently facing a severe cholera outbreak. Overcrowded living conditions and contaminated water sources are driving localized transmission, putting immense strain on Cholera Treatment Centers. In response, the Anchors for Public Health and Nutrition Initiative (APHNI) organized a community visitation and sensitization program at PHC Mairi on 27th August 2026, addressing the needs of the community and vulnerable groups through education on cholera transmission, signs, prevention, and appropriate first-line actions.
The outreach aimed to provide life-saving education focused on cholera prevention and early rehydration at the household level, introducing a preventative, household-level approach that focused on women as primary managers of home hygiene. By educating participants on early symptom recognition, environmental sanitation, and proper rehydration techniques, the initiative sought to empower families with practical health tools to protect themselves. The programme objectives were successfully achieved.

OBJECTIVES
• To promote personal health by educating women on the transmission of cholera
• To emphasize critical times for handwashing and safe food handling
• To demonstrate the correct and safe technique for mixing Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) and Zinc as a first-aid response to watery diarrhea
• To distribute preventative kits containing Zinc, ORS, VIVA Soap, and VIVA Detergent to vulnerable households

ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT
• Interactive health talk sessions on cholera transmission and prevention
• Discussions on critical hand hygiene practices, safe water storage, and the dangers of open defecation
• Practical demonstration of step-by-step handwashing techniques using soap
• Practical guide on safely mixing Oral Rehydration Salts and Zinc to manage acute dehydration at home
• Distribution of Safe Hearth kits, providing households with the physical tools needed to sustain preventive hygiene practices

KEY MESSAGES DELIVERED
• Early symptom recognition and understanding cholera transmission are vital for prevention
• Proper hand hygiene and safe water storage are necessary to stop localized transmission
• Knowing how to correctly mix Oral Rehydration Salts and Zinc is a crucial first-aid response for managing severe dehydration

PARTICIPATION AND OBSERVATIONS
The cholera health intervention outreach successfully addressed the needs of the community and specifically targeted vulnerable groups. Beneficiaries were attentive and eager to learn the correct handwashing and rehydration techniques demonstrated by the facilitation team.

OUTCOMES
• Community members received comprehensive education on cholera transmission, signs and symptoms, prevention, and appropriate first-line actions
• The distribution of Safe Heart kits successfully equipped households with essential hygiene materials
• The programme objectives were successfully achieved

CONCLUSION
The cholera intervention program conducted at PHC Mairi successfully addressed the immediate needs of the community through education and resource distribution. The project supports APHNI’s mission to promote public health education and build a healthier future generation. By focusing on household-level cholera prevention and early intervention, the initiative fosters long-term behavioral change and resilience in Maiduguri.