Mpox: NOA fears unreported infections as A’Ibom records 11 cases

.Cholera exposes gaps in health infrastructure, says NCDC

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Akwa Ibom State has begun to educate people on the prevalence and prevention of the monkeypox (mpox) disease in the state.

Also, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) highlighted that the recent cholera outbreak exposed significant weaknesses in the country’s public health infrastructure.

NOA’s fear came as a report from the Ministry of Health indicated that Akwa Ibom recorded eight mpox cases.

The agency’s Coordinator in the state, Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, stated this, yesterday while interacting with newsmen on the activities of the agency, in Uyo.

Mkpoutom stated that the agency’s staff had been dispatched to the affected councils since last week after receiving instructions from the ministry in the state.

He said, “Akwa Ibom is having the highest cases of mpox as we speak. So, my people have been on the field since last week when we had the instruction from the Ministry of Health, in partnership with Akwa Ibom State Agency on Health matters. Ten local governments are seriously affected, and among the most affected are Uyo, Onna, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Ekpene.”

According to the NCDC Director General, Jide Idris, the cholera outbreak intensified by floods across Nigeria “has not only underscored our vulnerabilities but has exposed gaps in resources, data systems and human capacities.”

Idris identified major challenges with disease surveillance and response in Nigeria while giving his remarks at the opening ceremony of the NCDC’s 5th Annual Disease Surveillance Review Meeting (ADSRM) in Lagos, yesterday.

Despite highlighting significant progress and achievements, Idris noted that delays in data reporting, inconsistencies in data quality, and prolonged laboratory turnaround times also hindered the ability to act swiftly and decisively on outbreaks.

“These challenges, while significant, do not weaken our resolve; rather, they serve as a call to action, a reminder of the work that remains urgent and essential,” he said.

The event, themed ‘Strengthening Global Health Security through Enhanced Disease Surveillance’, was billed for October 28 to 30 in Lagos.
Cholera, a water-borne disease, has been a recurring challenge in Nigeria, with intermittent outbreaks across various states.

As of October 17, NCDC reported 14,237 suspected cases and 378 deaths across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, at the event, further reiterated that the cholera outbreak was an indication of “underlying problems with access to clean water, toilets, proper drainage and that there is contamination of your water or your food sources.”