By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
Following the outbreak of monkey pox disease in the neighbouring state of Adamawa in the North East zone of Nigeria, among eight other states and FCT Abuja, identified by NDCC, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Borno State has taken a proactive and preventive measure to support the the state government in the control and management of four diseases in four local government areas of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Here, Mafa and Konduga and hard to reach areas of the state that are under its support.
The WHO Emergency Manager, Borno State, Dr. Racheal Lako told journalists on Monday in Maiduguri while briefing the press during the exercise at Dolori Community of Mai Sandari Ward of Here, immediately after detailing the 30 Community Health Champions (CHC) engaged to go round street by street, house by house in the neighborhood to enlighten, sensitize and mobilize households on the four diseases which include monkey pox, malaria, COVID-19 and embark on 30 days awareness campaign.
She added that the World Health Organization has promised to continue to support the Borno State Ministry of Health and Human Services, to ensure enough awareness is enhanced on the prevention of epidemic-prone diseases, including monkey pox, cholera, COVID-19 and malaria.
According to her, each of the 30 CHCs is to sensitize 30 households per day for a period of 30 days, while the team is expected to move from house to house in pairs of two CHCs.
“Thus, the two will be expected to create awareness to 60 households per day, subsequently for 30 days period,” .
She also said the team, known as Community Health Champions was also engaging communities to avail themselves on the importance and uses of COVID-19 vaccination, pointing out that, “Because it remains important that no individual should be left out from receiving their COVID-19 vaccination.”
Meanwhile, the Borno State Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Professor Mohammed Arab Alhaji has confirmed also to newsmen in Maiduguri on Monday in his office, that there are about four suspected cases of monkey pox patients admitted at the UMTH which one has been discharged and treated successfully while the remaining three are positively responding to treatment at the hospital
Prof. Arab added that the state Government is aware of the outbreak in some LGAs sharing boundaries with Borno State while measures are being considered to curtail its spread and other diseases.
