National Assembly, Abuja
Monkeypox
disease which broke out last week in Bayelsa State, and has since been
reported in at least seven other states in Nigeria, is set to be
eliminated after the Senate proposed ways to salvage the situation.
While debating on a motion sponsored by Senator Ali Wakili,
(APC-Bauchi), during the plenary on Tuesday, the Nigerian Senate
proposed ways to curb the spread of Monkeypox, which outbreak was first
reported on Tuesday last week in Bayelsa State and has since been
reported in at least seven other states in Nigeria.
According to Premium Times, the lawmakers urged the Federal
Government and other stakeholders to be pro-active in preventing the
disease from becoming an epidemic.
The National Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, on Monday said 31
suspected cases had been recorded in the seven states. The disease which
broke out in Bayelsa State on September 22 has spread to Rivers, Ekiti,
Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun and Cross River states.
The Senate expressed worry that there is no specific treatment or
available vaccine for monkey pox, saying the only ways to reduce the
spread is through awareness of risk factors, enlightenment of the public
and reduction of the possibility of animal to human transmission.
Lending his voice to the motion, Paulker Emmanuel, (PDP-Bayelsa),
said the disease should be given more attention beyond Small Pox and
Chicken Pox which are known to many Nigerians.
“This is a situation that calls for assistance of all
Nigerians, and even the Federal Government. There is need to take
pro-active steps in nipping the disease in the bud,” he said.
While commending the sponsor of the bill, Magnus Abe, (APC-Rivers),
enjoined stakeholders to be pro-active in handling of diseases outbreak
to avoid preventable deaths.
After debating the motion, the senate resolved to “urge the
Federal Government through the Ministry of Health, State Governments,
Local Governments and CBOs to be pro-active in containing and preventing
the spread of Monkeypox disease from where it was reported to have
occurred.”
The lawmakers also urged “aggressive enlightenment and
education of the citizens about measures that can be taken to mitigate
risk factors of exposure to the virus.”
Other prayers adopted include commencement of “sustained public health education via the broadcast, electronic, print and social media platforms” and that there should be a “proper
liaison by the Federal Government with the WHO and other relevant donor
agencies for contingencies against eventualities.”
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