By Kingsley Agim
The Cross River State Ministry of Health has notified Cross Riverians of the recent cholera outbreak at Obubra and Biase Local Government Areas of the State.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, who made the disclosure, Friday, said Biase and Obubra are the two LGAs with confirmed cases of cholera in the State so far, with one and two confirmed cases, respectively in the aforementioned LGAs.
Consequent to the foregoing, the Commissioner informed that an Emergency Operation Centre was, on Friday, activated by his Ministry, with the State Epidemiologist, Dr Blessing Ekpenyong, appointed as Incident Manager to coordinate the process.
Dr Ayuk also hinted that Response Commodities including drugs donated by the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC are being put in place by the Surveillance Unit and Logistic Management Coordinating Unit of the State Ministry of Health and with immediate effect will be positioned in affected LGAs and wards.
The Health Boss further disclosed that the Local Government Area Rapid Response Team has already been deployed to affected Wards for case investigation and line listing of reported cases in order to contain the spread of the disease.
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While urging the public to adhere strictly to all measures against the disease by avoiding impure drinking water, unripened fruits and contaminated foods, the Commissioner assured that the State Rapid Response Team will always be on hand for deployment to any affected area should new cases be reported.
The Emergency Operation Centre is chaired by the Commissioner for Health, with members including the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Director of Public Health, State Epidemiologist and the nine pillars of incident management, case management, risk communication, health promotion, research, infection control and surveillance as well as partners UNICEF and World Health Organisation, WHO.