From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has raised the alarm over outbreak of monkeypox in Nigeria, calling on the Federal Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to take the Bull by the horn and do the needful for adequate control and termination of the deadly virus.
Briefing journalists at Kano CITAD office on Friday, the CITAD Coordinator of Public Education on COVID-19 vaccine, Ibrahim Hamza, hinted that already, over 21 people have been infected while one death has been recorded as a result of Monkeypox.
According to him, recently monkeypox virus has been detected in some West and Central African countries igniting emergency crisis in public health. Health authorities have been up and doing in those countries trying to contain the spread of the virus.
So far deaths have been recorded as measures to address the killer virus are being taken to put a stop to the new surge.
In Nigeria, the NCDC has confirmed recording cases of the monkeypox in eight states including the FCT.
The states are Adamawa with five cases, Lagos four, Bayelsa two, Delta two, Cross River two, FCT two, Kano two, Imo two and Rivers one.
According to NCDC, of the 21 cases, death was reported in a 40-year-old patient who had underlying co-morbidity and was on immunosuppressive medications.
He added that, ‘”the detection of the virus ought to be an alarm for particularly the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and we want to at this point strongly call on the Centre to deploy active observatory mechanism across the federation with a view containing further spread of the virus.
“The experience brought by the outbreak of COVID19 pandemic should not be forgotten, as such case confirmation of monkeypox in the country should be treated with the public health urgency and expertise it requires to be able to contain it.
“In doing so we recommend that NCDC review it’s National Monkeypox Public Health Response Guidelines of 2019 to reflect deepening synergy with state governments in responding to suspected cases for proper detection, reporting and communication for quick actions.
“We equally wish to urge NCDC to collaborate with state governments to devise means of educating the public on symptoms of the virus and measures to take when they notice people or animals around them with symptoms of the virus.
“The public enlightenment and awareness on the virus should involve use of indigenous languages and English to be able to appeal to all Nigerians. We again want the public to stay vigilant and support the initiatives that will be put in place to ensure public safety.
“We also call on the NCDC to step up the discharge of it’s mandate of monitoring, detection, confirmation and other roles regarding the virus.
“We want to end by calling on the federal government to develop and deploy relevant protocols across our land, sea and air borders with a view to containing transmission of the virus.”
