MPOX: Abia cautions residents to curtail contact with animals
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State government has cautioned residents of the state to reduce their contact with animals and maintain good hygiene habits to avoid contracting monkeypox (mpox) which outbreak has been confirmed in the state.
Top government officials gave the advice on Monday evening while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the weekly State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting presided by Governor Alex Otti, during which they disclosed that government has concluded plans to retrofit 200 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state, while investigations of private schools earlier closed down have commenced.
Mpox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. The virus spreads through close contact with an infected animal or person. It can also spread when a person handles materials, such as blankets, that have been in contact with someone who has mpox.
The mpox rash often first appears on the face, hands or feet and then spreads to other parts of the body. But in cases linked to the outbreak that started in 2022, the rash often started in the genital area, mouth, or throat.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, during the joint press briefing, said that there were 13 suspected cases of mpox n the state, out of which one of the tests returned positive while nine was negative and three uncertified, adding that there has been no fatality.
“A total of 13 suspected cases have been recorded. Out of this number, nine tested negative, one tested positive and three cases are uncertified. The good news is that there has been no fatality so far,” Prince Kanu said.
The Commissioner said that the state Ministry of Health has opened a treatment Centre at Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba (ABSUTH) to handle the viral infection, adding that more centres would be opened, if need be. “May be, more centres, as the cases break, may be opened around the state but we don’t hope that there will be a further spread of the disease in the state,” Kanu said.
He advised the people to maintain good hygiene habits and also observe social distancing in cases where people are suspected to have contacted the disease.
Weighing in, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Ngozi Azodo, explained that the Ministries of Health, Environment and Public Utilities were synergizing to contain the infection, adding that a Steering Committee has been set up on the communicable diseases, while the state has keyed into the Federal Government’s “One-Health” policy.
The state government, she also said, was exploring avenues to strengthen treatment facilities and has maintained high surveillance. She also advised the residents to reduce their contact with animals, maintain good, personal hygiene and to maintain a distance from people with suspected cases.
On the renovation of Primary Healthcare Centres, Dr. Azodo disclosed that the state Ministry of Health has concluded plans to deliver 200 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state in 100 days, in collaboration with the Primary Healthcare Development Agency, explaining that “this will come in form of renovation and retrofitting existing PHCs to bring them up to standard.”
Commissioner for Information, further told newsmen that the Committee on reclamation of encroached land of public schools has swung into action, adding that current revelations have shown that the number of affected schools was beyond the 180 schools that were originally involved. The Committee, last week, pulled down fences of buildings of illegal structures around the premises of Government College, Umuahia, an action that has sparked controversies.
Prince Kanu also said that government has commenced investigating some of the private schools that were closed down; adding that training of teachers in primary and secondary schools by a consultant hired by the state government has ended.
He said that the training was part of the ongoing reforms in the education sector.
On roads, the Commissioner announced that government has “maintained and rehabilitated 108 roads” through direct labour under the implementation of its zero-pothole policy.
According to the Commissioner, designs for various road projects, including the Onu Inyang-Okporoenyi-Ikwuano road, were ongoing.
Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, announced that identification of buildings to be demolished for the expansion of the Owerrinta-Umuikaa Junction road has been completed, adding that payment of compensation would follow soon.
