The commissioner for health, Anambra state Hon Dr Joe Akubuike has debunked the rumors making the rounds that a community in the state was recently hit wit a deadly waterborne disease Cholera.
Dr Akubuike who spoke during a fact finding mission to Amansea, in
Awka North Local Government Area said that the visit to the community
was necessitated due to the publication made by some social media
sites insinuating that over ten persons had lost their lives from the
purported cholera outbreak in the town. The commissioner while going
round the health care center and hospitals in the community took time
to interact with patients, health workers and some community residents
Dr Akabuike used the opportunity to advice media practitioners of the
importance of thourogh examination of stories before letting it out to
the public for consumption. He specifically urged social media
operators that use the online platform to misinform the populace to
desist from such act as he advised that before any story or news is
released to the public they should endeavour to conduct a thorough
investigation and research to ascertain the correctness of the news in
other to publish reports devoid of falsehood.
The commissioner urged the people of the community to remain calm and
not panic for any course because their community was completely safe
and free from any form of disease outbreak, he advice them to go about
their normal duty as usual and as well remain vigilante, reporting any
case of medical abnormalities noticed to the nearest hospital or
health center closest to them
Some of the medical practitioners who spoke with newsmen during the
tour stated that they had not treated any case of cholera in their
different health centers although they agreed of having knowledge of
the news of cholera outbreak in the community which prompted them to
take several safety measures in other to tackle the disease squarely
incase they rumor turns out to be true.
The chief medical director of God the high tower hospital and
maternity, Amansea, Dr Ikenna Ikele had this to say " I actually
heard the news but it is just a mare rumor its not a proper
information, as you can see our hospital is a high volume one and most
people come here for their medical care. We have not had any case of
cholera even in the last one month."
Also speaking a nurse at the community primary health care center Mrs
Obioma Ezekwe said that she was surprised when she heard that more
than ten people had died of the disease in the town she explained that
for over a year the health center had not recorded any case of cholera
"I was shocked when some people came here and told me that there was
cholera outbreak in Amansea and over 20 people have died from the
disease. Sincerely I have not heard of any cholera case here. Intact
for the last one year we have not treated any case of cholera in this
center " she expounded
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