The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Executive Committee has directed that all necessary preemptive measures be taken against the emergence of the deadly childhood disease known as Diphtheria by all relevant health agencies.
The Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCT Administration is further directed to ensure increased surveillance and awareness creation and sensitisation by all relevant agencies, to curb the risk of the disease spreading within the territory.
In a statement signed by the Director Information and Communication of the FCTA, Mohammed Hazat, the FCT committee gave this directive in its meeting held on Monday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
It urged the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat to liaise with the Area Council Services Secretariat, as well as the Chairmen of the six Area Councils in the Territory to immediately convene an emergency meeting with relevant technical Partners and work out modalities to effectively confront the disease.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by the organism referred to as Corynebacterium diphtheria which affects the throat, nose, and sometimes, skin of unvaccinated children and rarely adults with poor immunity. The symptoms of the disease also include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes, neck swelling, and difficulty in breathing.
Diphtheria spreads easily between people through direct contact with infected people, droplets from coughing or sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects, thereby underscoring the importance of hygiene and environmental sanitation in the prevention. The people most at risk are the unvaccinated and those who live in crowded areas and/or where there is poor sanitation.
To reduce the risk of contracting the disease, children are expected to get fully vaccinated with three doses of the Pentavalent vaccine as recommended in the National childhood immunization schedule. The FCT immunisation coverage currently stands at 83%, against the national average of 57%, though at least 95% of all children are expected to be vaccinated, thereby preventing spread.
The meeting enjoined the Health and Human Services Secretariat to galvanise the support of all stakeholders and ensure massive sensitisation of all residents to further minimise the risk of contracting the ailment as cases have been reported in some states around the FCT.
The EXCO also directed the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) to restrict the activities of the Point of Sales (POS) operators scattered around the Federal Capital City to only commercial areas because of security concerns.
It observed that “POS is a commercial enterprise, and, therefore, should be conducted only in the designated commercial areas.”
Aside from the security implications, the activities of POS operators also create environmental nuisances as they serve to attract other commercial activities, thereby generating uncontrolled waste.
The EXCO re-emphasised the importance that the present leadership of the FCT Administration places on the security and well-being of the residents. It vowed that it would take every necessary measure to protect all Nigerians and visitors residing in Abuja.
The FCT EXCO meeting, which was presided over by the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Bello was attended by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Mai-Borno, Secretaries of FCT Mandate Secretariats and other Directors.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
