The Disease Surveillance and Notification Unit, Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa has said that 18 Acute Flaccid Paralysis, otherwise known as Polio cases have been reported in the council between January and August 2014.
A statement signed and issued to newsmen by Oyaba Diemebonso, a Health Officer in the Unit in Yenagoa, said that nine suspected measles cases and three Neonatal Tetanus, NNT, were also reported within the period.
Diemebonso described the outbreak as a “threat” to society and maintained that DSN was committed to checkmating any disease endemic and promote quality health in the local government.
He commended the effort of World Health Organisation, WHO, on health development in the council, saying the establishment of 16 AFP Surveillance Facial Sites in the area was step in the right direction.
“Yenagoa council has 15 wards and 16 functional WHO AFP Surveillance facial sites; the surveillance sites are both in public and private hospital, clinics, and health centres in the communities,” he said.
“In these communities, we visit and we gather information and capture data on disease weekly and monthly basis, especially the epidemic prone diseases like cholera, Lassa fever, measles among others.
“So far, we have been able to report 18 cases of AFP, nine cases of children with suspected measles and three NNT from January till date.”
“I urge clinicians and other health workers to support DSN Officers and embrace the use of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Respond (IDSR) and other immediate notifiable diseases,” Diemebonso said.
He explained that the use of IDSR would go a long in controlling any endemic disease in the council area and as well as Bayelsa.
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