Cross
River State Health Sector with the support of World Health Organization (WHO)
disease surveillance have scaled up trans-border activities to checkmate cross
border transmission of diseases using case based surveillance.
Speaking,
Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong said they are here
to carry out border surveillance on diseases like meningitis, polio, yellow
fever, haemorrhagic fever and Lassa fever to sensitize the border security personnel's
on priority diseases that should be reported when seen.
She
said prevention of cross transmission of diseases at our international borders
have prompted the State to train security personnel on surveillance as the
major aspect of governance was health and security.
She
said surveillance in the border is a continuous process by the health sector
and for them in Cross River the struggle will not end until all this killer
diseases are eliminated.
Security
personnel from Customs, Navy, Army, Immigration and Police have been fully
sensitize and are vigilant and observant to notify on signs of these diseases
when seen.
Also
speaking, Director General State Primary Healthcare Agency, Dr Betta Edu said
everyone should be very vigilant in checkmating the various signs of these
diseases at the borders as people come down from Cameroon to Bakassi for
businesses and we also go over there to transact businesses.
"Every
child whether from Nigeria or Cameroon must be immunised against killer
diseases said the DG.
According
to her Cross River State is taking the lead in the final round of eliminating
polio and several other diseases in Nigeria aggressively by setting up primary
healthcare post and centers at all the borders which will work with the
security personnel to guard our borders from these diseases.
"
If you see something even in healthcare say something" by calling the
numbers provided as these vital information could go a long way to save the
State and nation from massive loss of lives.
She
said they have equally activated Emergency Transport Unit which is suppose to
go through those border areas, keep surveillance for us, report any case, as
Health security is one of their major agenda.
Stressing
further, she affirm that capacity of health workers in border communities have
been built to do proper surveillance, communities have been sensitized to watch
out and notify relevant authorities.
"
Improvement of all primary health facilities around the borders are on going so
that travellers coming in from Cameroon or leaving Nigeria are fully
safeguarded.
Earlier
Speaking, WHO State Coordinator, Dr Tom Igbu said their main aim of coming to
bakassi is to see how best to implement surveillance activities across Nigerian
Cameroon border by strengthening to ensure all diseases under surveillance are
quickly detected and reported to appropriate authorities so they can take
action and prevent the spread of this diseases.
Permanent
Secretary Cross River State Ministry of Health, Dr Joseph Bassey mentioned the
six WHO priority diseases the people should be watchful such as Acute flaccid
Paralysis ( Polio), measles, Neonatal tetanus, yellow fever, cholera and
cerebro spinal (Meningitis). He spoke in local dialect to the people and
travellers
The
team also met with the royal fathers and security operatives at the border
line.
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