The Abia State government said it has opened centres to handle cases of Mpox in the State.
Disclosing this in Umuahia, the Commisioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu said a case has been recorded in Isiala Ngwa, adding that the centres opened include that at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, while “more centres are coming soon.”
Kanu noted that there were 13 suspected cases, one of which was positive, while nine were negative, and three uncertified, with no death recorded yet.
The Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Ngozi Azodo, however, assured that the government has worked out a synergy among the Ministries of Health, Environment and Public Utilities to dealing with the 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.
Azodo said the State government is looking to strengthen such facilities and has maintained high surveillance, calling 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 in 100 days; by ”renovating and retrofitting existing PHCs to bring them up to standard.”
The move, she said, is a “bold step taken by the ministry and work will begin in the first week of September and be completed in December.
