In order to reduce the transmission of the monkeypox virus (m-pox), the Association of Resident Doctors at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital in Kwara State issued a cautionary statement to the Nigerian populace, advising against the consumption of undercooked bush meat.
They emphasized the importance of limiting interactions with deceased animals to prevent the spread of the virus.
The association, headed by President Dr. Yusuf Muhammed, expressed readiness to implement preventive measures akin to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic to combat any potential outbreak in the country.
This alert from Dr. Muhammed comes in the wake of the World Health Organization’s announcement on August 14, categorizing the monkeypox outbreak in certain regions of Africa as a matter of international public health concern.
The WHO has outlined that monkeypox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, which can transfer between individuals through close contact like touching, kissing, or sexual activities, as well as via contaminated items such as clothing, bedding, and needles. Symptoms typically include a painful rash, flu-like manifestations, swollen lymph nodes, and fever.
Primarily prevalent in Central and Western Africa and affecting both humans and animals, monkeypox experienced a significant global outbreak during 2022-2023. The disease was classified as a public health emergency by the WHO after causing the fatalities of 450 individuals in an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which subsequently spread to Central and East Africa, Pakistan, and Sweden.
A recent update from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s Situation Report spanning epidemic weeks 29 to 32 and released on August 11, 2024, indicated two confirmed cases and 51 suspected cases during the specified period. Symptoms of monkeypox include a sore throat, itchy or painful rash, headache, enlarged lymph nodes, and fatigue.
Since the designation of monkeypox as a public health emergency, the Nigerian authorities have heightened border surveillance, as well as bolstered monitoring and screening protocols to counter the outbreak.
Dr. Muhammed, President of ARD-UITH, stressed the importance of adhering to these precautions to mitigate the spread of the virus and protect public health.
“m-pox is not entirely new, but at some point, new strains commonly appear, and in recent times, WHO sent warning that the strain that is currently detected is a new one.
“The fear is that the antibody that humans have may not be able to protect against it like the strain that occurred before. This
poses a significant threat to people, and everybody should be on the lookout.”
He explained that monkeypox is a viral disease similar to smallpox and urged Nigerians to remain calm, but to promptly report any suspected cases to nearby health authorities for thorough investigation and contact tracing.
“The public should not panic, but report cases to health agencies for contact tracing and proper investigation, so that at-risk
individuals can also be quarantined and prevention measures taken,” Mohammed said.
The ARD-UITH president highlighted that the vaccine for smallpox was also shown to work for m-pox, however stating that he was unsure of the extent it would be effective on the new strain.
He said “ARD from the national body and the UITH are observing the trend, preventive measures and advice from the scientific community,
so that we commentes it and equally contribute our quota to the body of knowledge.
“For now, there are no reported cases in Nigeria. As far as the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control is concerned, the WHO has alerted all nations to be on the lookout for possible outbreaks.”
, the Association of Resident Doctors at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital in Kwara State issued a cautionary statement to the Nigerian populace, advising against the consumption of undercooked bush meat.){kind=link}