From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

In order to curtail the spread of Monkeypox in Bayelsa State, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, has assured that all the necessary measures have been put in place to prevent and militate against the outbreak of the disease in the state.

Brisibe stated this on Monday after he led a team of other medical experts on facilities tours at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri and the Bayelsa State College of Nursing Sciences in Tombia.

He said that there was no active case of monkeypox infection currently recorded in the state, adding that the state government has procured the necessary drugs and health commodities that will be mobilized to get people treated.

According to him, from January till date, the state had several cases, adding that out of all the numbers, it is only five that tested positive and out of the five, no death was recorded.

“So it’s zero mortality. We don’t have any active cases at this point in time in the state. Since we have had some, we are going to reactivate and fast track our surveillance systems and also get PPPs, PPEs and health care commodities available.

“For us in the state, from January till now we have had several cases but out of all that number, it is five that tested positive and out of this five, we have not recorded any death. So it’s zero mortality. We don’t have any active cases at this point in time in the state. Since we have had some, we are going to reactivate and fast track our surveillance systems and also get PPPs, PPEs and health care commodities available.

“We are going to advocate with the public to see that the public knows what to do. It’s simple, wash your hands and avoid close contact with somebody that has symptoms. The first stage of the disease doesn’t come with those rashes, so you must always have hand hygiene. Again it’s sexually transmitted, our people should also have sexual intercourse with protective measures, make the use of condoms.

“We also want to see that our treatment centres are equipped and well taken care of so that in case we have an outbreak, we have what it takes to give proper treatment. That is one reason why today we went to the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital where we have the expertise to treat that. Of course we are also in the School of Nursing, that is where we train the manpower that takes care of people that are sick and it’s a good place to start.

“We will do everything to mitigate transmission, that is we have seen somebody that has it but it cannot be transmitted, we have to break that. Even when we have a case or two or three, we must not lose anybody, zero death. Those are the overarching goals of what we are doing to strengthen the system, to do public enlightenment, to get PPPs and other health commodities to see that we do not lose anybody if it occurs. In the first place, we will prevent infection and prevent transmission.

“I want to encourage all Bayelsans that the prosperity government is on top of it. Nobody should be worried, we don’t have any active cases and we have put things in place to see that the way we handled colera, the way we handled yellow fever that came and we didn’t lose anybody is the matrix. We are strong with it, we have procured the necessary drugs, the necessary health commodities that even if we have, we will mobilize that and then get people treated.”