Abia opens centres as state records monkey pox incident

From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

Abia State Government has opened centres to handle cases of monkey pox as the state record 13 suspected cases.

Disclosing this in Umuahia, Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, said the case was recorded in Isiala Ngwa.

He said the centres opened include that at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, while more centres are coming soon.

Kanu said there were 13 suspected cases, one of which was positive, nine negative, and three uncertified, with no death recorded yet.

Special Adviser on Health, Ngozi Azodo, informed of the synergy between the Ministries of Health, Environment, and Public Utilities in dealing with the monkey pox case, adding that a steering committee has been set up on the infectious diseases, while the state has keyed into the Federal Government’s ‘One-Health’ policy.

She stressed that the state government was looking at how to strengthen such facilities and has maintained high surveillance. She called on citizens to maintain good hygiene, reduce contact with animals, and stay away from people with suspected cases.

Azodo disclosed that the state Ministry of Health has concluded plans to deliver 200 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in 100 days; by “renovating and retrofitting existing PHCs to bring them up to standard.”

She said the move was a bold step taken by the ministry. “Work will begin in the first week of September and end in December,” she said.