The Federal Government has enhanced its monitoring and screening measures at all entry points into Nigeria to address the Monkeypox outbreak.
Prof. Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced this in a statement on Thursday, which was signed by his Special Adviser on Media and External Relations, Tashikalmah Hallah.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday that there are 39 confirmed cases of mpox across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory since the start of 2024, with no reported deaths.
“The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, emphasised that the country has intensified monitoring and screening procedures at all entry points in response to the threat of Mpox, Clade 1,” the SA said in the Thursday statement.
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The statement quoted the minister as saying that the NCDC and Nigeria Ports Health Services, part of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, had been strengthening Nigeria’s defenses even before mpox was officially declared a public health emergency.
“This Mpox Clade 1 strain has caused fatalities in up to 10 per cent of individuals who have fallen ill in previous outbreaks. He added that the aim is to tackle and mitigate its impact by deploying measures similar to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Pate noted.
He went on to explain that the government had introduced a new requirement for all travelers to fill out an online health declaration form before arriving in the country.
“This measure is being introduced alongside the activation of infectious disease centres in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” he added.
The minister also encouraged the public to maintain good hygiene practices, including regular hand washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, particularly after coming into contact with infected individuals or animals.
On Tuesday, the Africa Centre for Disease Control declared a public health emergency due to the escalating mpox outbreak across the continent.
The outbreak has spread across several African nations, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) being particularly affected.
The DRC is experiencing a severe and expanding outbreak that has now crossed its borders.
A new viral strain, first identified in September 2023, has been detected outside the DRC for the first time.
The World Health Organisation highlighted concerns over this new virus strain, clade 1b, which has rapidly spread mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in neighboring countries, leading to the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
In 2024 alone, approximately 2,863 confirmed cases and 517 deaths from mpox have been reported across 13 African countries.
Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans, and is endemic in several African regions, including Central and West Africa’s tropical rainforests.
The exact reservoir of the virus remains unknown, though rodents, squirrels, and monkeys are suspected to contribute to its transmission.
In response, the Rivers State Government has provided 46 motorcycles to tuberculosis supervisors and their deputies in the 23 local councils of the state to enhance tracking and treatment efforts. This initiative, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, aims to reach remote areas and work towards eliminating tuberculosis in the state.
Dr. Adaeze Oreh, the state Commissioner for Health, presented the motorcycles in Port Harcourt, emphasizing that the move is intended to improve access to hard-to-reach areas and ultimately eradicate tuberculosis in the region.
She stated, “Tuberculosis is one of those notorious infections that have been ravaging countries across the world, especially low and middle-income countries such as Nigeria.
“In partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme with immense support from the Global Fund, we are here gathered with these 46 motorcycles which will be supported for the 23 local government areas TB supervisors and their deputies.
“We know that at the forefront of tackling this deadly infectious disease is active community surveillance. And these motorcycles will enable the TB Supervisors and the Deputies to go into the nook and crannies of our communities to identify those who may be infected and put them on the treatment that they need,” the health commissioner said.