BY: EMMANUEL CHUKWUMA, ENUGU.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that 4,017 persons have already been vaccinated with the diphtheria vaccine as death toll from the disease rises to ten.
UNICEF’s Health Specialist, Dr. Olusoji Akinleye, made this known during a virtual media parley organised by the organization in Owerri, on Friday.
Diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae became an outbreak in Imo State, with an index case reported in Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise council area of the state.
UNICEF is supporting the Government of Nigeria’s response efforts in case management, infection prevention and control, reactive vaccination, risk communication and community engagement to contain the outbreak.
Akinleye spoke on the theme: “Diphtheria Outbreak Response In Imo State“.
He stressed that with ten fatalities already recorded according to available statistics, it was imperative to restrict and contain the spread of the disease to prevent a possible “national disaster “, as the airport “sits very close to Aboh Mbaise”.
He commended the Imo state Immunisation Officer, Dr Chibuzo Anyaehie for ensuring prompt vaccination of persons across the four affected council areas of Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Owerri North and Owerri Municipal.
Speaking, Anyaehie said that 4,017 persons had already received the diphtheria vaccine, adding that the state has, so far, recorded 79 suspected cases and seven confirmed cases.
“We have established treatment centres across all Primary Health Centres in Mbutu, and the Aboh General Hospital, with an additional 70 doses of vaccines just supplied“, she said.
In her contribution, UNICEF’s Communication Officer, Advocacy, Media, and Ext. Relations, Dr. Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe, thanked health intervention officers from the Imo State Ministry of Health for their efforts in containing the outbreak.
Dr. Onuoha-Ogwe charged journalists to adequately sensitize the general public on preventive management of the disease to curb its spread.
UNICEF’s Water Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist, Mrs Rebekah Gabriel, harped on the need for regular hand washing with soap and water and for greater collaboration with traditional rulers and other critical stakeholders for effective grassroots sensitization.
Earlier in her opening remarks, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, Enugu, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, commended the media for effective partnership and urged journalists to amplify awareness of the outbreak.
