Pix: Dr.Emeka Okeke
The Medical Health Care Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has alerted the Officers and men on the need to be wary of the emerging virus called Mpox;
Speaking on behalf of the Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the Corps Chief Medical Officer, Deputy Commandant Dr.Emeka Okeke gave a comprehensive awareness and sensitization talk on identifying symptoms promptly and reporting cases to medical health facilities in time.
Dr Okeke hinted that Mpox is a virus which is communicable and spreads through human-to-human contact, animal or contact with surfaces and the environment where it resides.
He spoke on the mode of transmission from an infected person, stating that it could be contracted through kissing, sexual intercourse, skin contact, eating already infected animals, touching contaminated materials, and mother-to-child contact, amongst others.
“Our officers and men need to be conscious of the new wave of virus called Mpox, and a vivid understanding of the causes, symptoms, and preventive measures would also help our operatives to be cautious and further extend this sensitization to the general public, most especially within their Area of Responsibility (AoR)”.
“The NSCDC has a vital role to play in Disaster mitigation and management of crisis as well as rescuing victims in the face of emergency, public awareness and sensitization, providing security coverage to internally displaced persons amongst others are statutory responsibilities of the Corps”.
Reacting on how to identify cases of Mpox, the Medical Officer said the symptoms and signs of already infected persons are: Fatigue, Headaches, Lesions and Rashes, Swollen lymph nodes, Muscle pain, and Back pain.
‘There is a good number of preventive measures to imbibe to prevent being a victim of Mpox; they are Personal Hygiene, Avoiding contact with infected persons, cooking meat thoroughly before consumption, avoiding contact with dead animals and practising safe sex”.
He, however, intimated to the officers the need to exercise vigilance while carrying out their assigned duties, noting that cases of Mpox should be reported promptly when discovered.