Mpox: NCDC Yet To Release Health Guidelines For Airlines, Airports
From PAULINE PODKA, Abuja
Federal Government has announced some proactive measures that could be used to stop any importation of any strain of monkeypox from other countries by travellers.
The government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said the measures have become necessary to complement some drastic measures being introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Centre for Disease Control otherwise known as Africa CDC.
On Wednesday, the Africa CDC formally declared monkeypox a public health emergency following the rising number of confirmed cases across the country.
On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO), after the consideration of a report by its committee as regards the spread in Africa, and possibly beyond the continent also declared monkeypox a public health challenge that requires collaborative effort to contain.
Director General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, at a press conference, in Abuja, on Thursday, confirmed that systems have been activated in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to promptly respond to the public health challenge.
He said: “As part of the government’s ongoing efforts, we have intensified our surveillance system across Nigeria to swiftly detect and respond to new cases. To this end, we have put all Port Health Service Officials across all five international airports, 10 seaports, and 51 land/foot crossing borders on high alert.
“Also, diagnostic protocols in line with the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) have been distributed to the locations, while officials are screening for suspected cases. Some states, notably, Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, and Taraba, have also been put on red alert.
“We have commenced contact tracing and monitoring for confirmed cases to prevent community transmission of the disease. This will also include declaration by travellers that have been to any of the countries where there is an ongoing outbreak of monkeypox in the last 90 days.
“Additionally, we would continue to provide healthcare workers and the public with updated guidance on infection prevention and control measures, and train surge staff as part of the preparedness and readiness for monkeypox public health event.”
The NCDC boss said that public and private hospitals have also been notified about the monkeypox, and had sent a list of referral isolation/treatment centres across the six geopolitical zones as well as reference laboratory networks which includes NRL, CPHL, NIMR, LUTH, ACEGID, UNTH, UPTH.
He further added that the government is making efforts to make vaccines available to Nigerians especially the hotspot areas.
“Vaccine has shown to have a favorable safety profile. We are expecting 10,000 doses of the Jynneos (monkeypox) vaccine which we might deploy to the high-risk groups.”
NCDC, however, urged Nigerians to adhere to proven infection prevention and control measures which are essential in limiting the transmission of the monkeypox virus.
Meanwhile, the NCDC boss confirmed 39 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in Nigeria, with Bayelsa (5), Cross River (5), Ogun (4), Lagos (4), Ondo (3), and Ebonyi (3) leading the pack.