Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Following the fast spread of Monkey Pox virus in seven states barely 20 days into the outbreak in the country, Charity, Envision Global Care Foundation has called on the Nigerian Government to improve the living condition of less-privileged to prevent similar disease outbreak in the country.
The states currently experiencing the outbreak are; Bayelsa, Rivers, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun and Cross River.
The humanitarian organisation in a statement called for concerted efforts by all institutions involved to ensure the virus is contained. Adding that it has observed that the less-privileged groups in Nigeria are more vulnerable to disease outbreaks due to poor living condition, access to good medical care and other environmental hazards.
While commending the effort of the Federal Ministry of Health through the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for the response so far, the President of the NGO, Mr. Jerry Ikogho, said Nigeria has reached a stage where vaccines needed for prevention and drugs for treatment of such disease should be readily available and distributed.
He also urged the NCDC to be more proactive towards prevention by increasing awareness on the disease at rural communities as well as Internally Displaced Persons’ camps.
“We are happy that the NCDC is coordinating investigation and response across the affected states through active case finding, epidemiological investigation and contact tracing, however we should see it that the swift spread of the virus to seven states in less than a month means that Nigerians are not properly educated about the virus and how it spreads, most of which are due to body contact attributed to environmental and poor living condition of the people,†said Diana Eyo-Enotte, Programme Director, Envision Global Care Foundation.
‎”At this point, Monkey Pox should be declared a serious medical emergency and the government must pay full attention to it by providing both human and financial resources to contain its spread,†she added.
Envision believes that the Nigerian Government could do better if it truly pays attention to the health needs of the poor by making access to medical care easier, cheaper and better
