By: Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar
The Cross River State Surveillance and Epidemiologist Unit of the Department of Public Health has advised parents and caregivers to adhere strictly to the well laid down preventive measures to keep the possibility of disease outbreak at bay.
The team leader and State Epidemiologist, Dr. Inyang Ekpenyong outlined presentation of children for routine immunization, early detection of signs and symptoms, prompt notification to Ministry of Health, early and appropriate treatment of confirmed cases, as some of the measures to fight disease outbreak in society.
The Surveillance and Epidemiologist Unit, in its monthly surveillance technical review meeting with the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers from the 18 Local Government Areas of the State, reported a suspected case of Neonatal Tetanus in Bekwarra, three suspected cases of measles, one each in Obudu, Akamkpa and Bekwara LGAs, and four suspected cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) in Biase, Odukpai, Akamkpa and Boki, with each of the LGAs recording a case each.
The report said Surveillance team said the above suspected cases were investigated at both state and local government surveillance teams through support from World Health Organisation (WHO), where collected samples of suspected cases were taken to different testing laboratories, with results expected this week.
The team also revealed that Nigeria has been scored 59% on health security, at National Joint External Evaluation, held August 14th through 18th, 2023, in Abuja; a feat described as a remarkable improvement from the 39% scored in 2017 evaluation.
