The Benue State Chapter of the People’s democratic party PDP, has called on Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia to take actions that will curtail the spread of diphtheria and anthrax in the State.
State Publicity Secretary of the party, Bemgba Iortyom, disclosed this in a statement drawing the government’s attention to reports of the outbreak of Diptheria in Kaduna State resulting in an estimated 6 deaths and many hospitalized within just a few days.
Iortyom added that, in neighbouring Taraba State, there are reports of Anthrax having broken out with some deaths and hospitalisation of some affected persons.
He emphasized that since these states are points of call for the people of the state, drastic measures be taken to avert the outbreak in the state.
The main opposition party considered the geophysical proximity between Taraba and Benue, and the large community of Benue indigenes in Kaduna, which necessitates frequent travel among those states noting the role of passengers of Interest, who in such situations are human vectors, should be guarded against.
“Both diseases are said to be preventable by vaccine and treatable through drug administration, and Benue State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calls on Governor Hyacinth Alia to take preemptive steps towards preventing the spread of those diseases to the state.
“We urge Governor Alia to leverage on the experience garnered during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2018, by setting up an Action Committee made up of medical experts which should be charged with the responsibility of putting in place modalities for detecting and dealing with the earliest signs of the appearance of those diseases to curb their spread in the state.
“Such a committee should be facilitated to be on the front foot in sourcing vaccines and relevant drugs, as well as suitable medical infrastructure, such as laboratories and quarantine centers, for handling detected cases at the earliest stages, in accordance with global best practices to keep Benue safe. “The statement added.
The PDP charged the Benue State Governor to be alive to his sworn duty to safeguard the lives of the people by taking necessary steps to keep the state safe from the looming spectre of those disease outbreaks.
