October 20, 2017
The Nasarawa State Government has advised residents against eating bush meats in order to avoid the risk of contracting monkey pox disease.
The state Director of Public Health in the ministry of Health, Dr Ibrahim Adamu, gave the advice on Friday while addressing newsmen in Lafia.
He called for calm and assured that the state government has put all necessary measures in place to protect the lives of residents.
“The first case of the disease was seen in Bayelsa state in the South-South region and since then other states have recorded suspected cases and it is also on record that out of the 74 suspected cases, only three have been confirmed to be case of monkey pox and these three are all in Bayelsa state.
“In Nasarawa state, for the sake of emphasis, Nasarawa state has not recorded any confirmed case of monkey pox, that is why I am calling on the residents of the state not to eat monkey so as to avoid monkey diseases,” he said.
Adamu also said that the ministry had prepared radio and television jingles that would educate and enlightening the people of the state on the prevention method of monkey pox.
“We are also planning to do sensitisation training for doctors, nurses and pharmacists, among other health workers, that are the first people that sick people get to. We want to create awareness on the prevention of monkey pox disease.
The director called on the people of the state to report any suspected case to the nearest health facility for prompt action.
He listed some of the symptoms of monkey pox to include fever, pain and rashes resembling chicken pox, among others.
He restated the ministry’s commitment to continue to key in to good health policies and programmes that have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the state.
