Posted on: Wed 01-06-2022

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to step up efforts in educating and protecting Nigerians from Monkeypox.

It stressed that the agency, saddled with the responsibility of disease prevention and control, must not lose sight of other infectious diseases, such as Monkeypox, as it focuses on COVID-19.

The association urged Nigerians to adhere to the preventive measures of personal hygiene, especially hand cleanliness, because like Monkeypox, COVID-19 is still very much in the country.

It said the situation can become worse if not handled properly and implored religious institutions – churches and mosques – to sensitise their followers about the disease.

The NCDC announced that the country has recorded 21 confirmed cases of Monkeypox disease in the last five months, with one death.

In May, six new confirmed positive cases were reported from four states – Bayelsa (2), Adamawa (2), Lagos (1), and Rivers (1).

Speaking with The Nation, new President of NMA Dr Uche Ojinmah said: “NCDC needs to start giving us data on Monkeypox as it happens across the country.

Also yesterday, NCDC debunked news on social media that Nigeria has laboratories where Monkeypox virus is generated.

It was claimed “there are four US-controlled biological laboratories operating in Nigeria.”

But in a statement, Director General Dr Ifedayo Adetifa said the statement was not backed by evidence.

“As a rule, Nigeria welcomes scientific cooperation with foreign countries, and has received support from United Kingdom, Germany, Japan etc, and discussed vaccine production with Russia.

“Collaboration between Nigeria and United States has provided opportunities for technical assistance, capacity building, provision of equipment and field hospitals at the peak of COVID-19, and funds to support health programmes, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria elimination,” he said.

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