“MPOX is Transmitted through body Contact” …Health Minister Calls For adherence to Preventive Measures
During the Government weekly Press briefing, the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Austin Demby, has given a statistic of the MPox cases, stating that since January to date, the country has recorded over 2,100 cases with 12 deaths mainly due to underlying medical conditions, noting that the disease is transmitted through body contact.
The Minister warns against body contact, especially with infected people of the virus and calls on the general public to adhere to key preventive measures like regular handwashing and sanitization. He also urged the public to call 117 if suspected any cases and warned to avoid mingling with infected people. He encouraged anyone who has experienced the signs and symptoms of the virus to report to the Government hospital for medical assistance, adding that the recovery of infected people is typically within 2-3 weeks with hospital care.
He announced that the Ministry has scaled up treatment capacity with:
1. A 400-bed facility in Hastings
2. A 100-bed center in Calaba Town
3. An Infectious Disease Hospital in Port Loko
4. Isolation units at 34 Military Hospital and other major government hospitals
Dr. Demby furthered that the MPox vaccines are in short supply globally and as a Ministry, they prioritize giving the vaccines to high risk groups, including Healthcare workers, infected households and people with pre-existing conditions, intimating how the vaccine does not prevent infection, but prepares the immune system to fight the virus. He encourages the public to report anyone found selling the vaccines and emphasized that treatment is free for any infected people at every government hospital. The Concludes by stating that they engaging partners in India, UAE, WHO and Gavi for more vaccine support.
