The District Head of Wukara, Ibrahim Dalhatu, says this is the third time his community would be experiencing outbreak of chickenpox.
Wukari is in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
“This is the third time we in this community have experienced such outbreak,” Dalhatu lamented.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to help in completing the only hospital still under construction in the community for easy and faster access to medical attention.
“We do not have any hospital or clinic in this community. We travel all the way to Sauka and Gwagwalada to seek medical attention. And transport fare this period is not an easy thing now.
“And the borehole we have is not servicing us well. We appeal to the AMAC chairman to come to our aid, ” he pleaded.
Experts describe chickenpox as a highly contagious viral infection causing an itchy, blister-like rash on the skin.
“Chickenpox is highly contagious to those who haven’t had the disease or been vaccinated against it.
“The most characteristic symptom is an itchy, blister-like rash on the skin.
“Chickenpox can be prevented by a vaccine. Treatment usually involves relieving symptoms, although high-risk groups may receive antiviral medication,” a General Practitioner, Dr. Samson Oriade explains.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Maikalangu, on Tuesday [today] dispatched a response team to Wukara community of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to curtail the further spread of chickenpox.
Maikalangu, who was represented by Tunji Faoye, the Supervisory Councilor on Health at a ceremony of the medical outreach, urged residents to seek medical attention at the first sign of symptoms.
The chairman called on residents to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including sleeping in well-ventilated houses in order to avoid further loss of lives during outbreaks.
Maikalangu expressed deep concern over the impact of the outbreak, which has claimed lives and affected numerous households.
“There is need for urgent and comprehensive measures to address the recent outbreak of chickenpox in the Wukara community.
“The impact of this calamity has left so many in fear. It is an unfortunate situation, and we pray that such will never repeat again.
“To us in the Council, this outbreak is becoming one too many, and a permanent solution is urgently needed to prevent further occurrence,” he said.
He praised the AMAC Primary Health Care Department for its swift response to the outbreak, noting that the situation is considered an emergency due to the resurgence of chickenpox in some parts of the community.
He emphasised the need for precautionary measures, especially given the daily influx of people from various parts of the country into AMAC.
He also appealed to stakeholders, NGOs, and well-meaning individuals to support efforts to help affected communities mitigate the impact of the outbreak.
Maikalangu extended his condolences to those who lost loved ones to the outbreak and prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased.
He thanked the AMAC PHC, FCTPHCB, and other relevant agencies for their support, noting that their interventions would help alleviate the suffering of the affected communities.
The chairman underscored the need for collaborative efforts to prevent future outbreaks and protect the health and well-being of residents in Wukara and other communities in AMAC.
Fielding questions from newsmen on the sideline of the event, Faoye revealed that the team, which had been in the community for three weeks, tested individuals for blood pressure, malaria and other health conditions.
He said that the initiative was part of the team’s ongoing efforts, aimed to provide holistic healthcare to the community.
According to him, the location of the nearest health facility posed challenges, prompting the chairman to promise the establishment of another facility in the community to cater to their health needs.
He expressed the team’s commitment to regular outreach programmes, noting that they usually visit communities quarterly.
He also highlighted the unfortunate loss of lives to the recent outbreak, emphasising the importance of proactive measures to prevent future outbreaks.
In spite of challenges with funding, particularly due to a lack of grants from NGOs, he praised the collaboration with partners such as UNICEF and reassured the community of the Chairman’s ongoing efforts and hinted at future programmes focusing on HIV/AIDS, Polio, and tuberculosis.
According to him, the team’s efforts underscore the importance of proactive healthcare initiatives and the need for continued collaboration with partners to improve the health outcomes of the communities.
Dr Modupe Adeyinka, the Director of Health, AMAC, said that the health of every citizen of AMAC was important, hence the need for the medical outreach to address the outbreak and prevent the further spread.
“Those affected were taken to our nearby facility, which we stocked up with meditation for treatment.
“The AMAC chairman directed us to do a total package and not only chicken pox but all manner of ailments, treatment are ongoing and immunization of children against every preventable disease too,” she said.
Also speaking, Mustapha Bichi, the Local Government Areas Facilitator, Word Health Organisation (WHO), urged the residents to always make use of the facilities provided by the government and avoid self-medication.
