Report by AMINU DALHATU; Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
Zamfara state government says it has taken adequate measures to contain the spread of Anthrax outbreak in the state.
The Director Public Health, at the Ministry of Health, Dr Yusuf Haske stated this while speaking with newsmen in Gusau over confirmed case of the disease.
Dr Haske who explained that, so far, only two animal mortalities were recorded across the state and there was no human case reported.
According to him, stakeholders has held an emergency meeting at the Public Health Emergency Operations Center and they came out with various initiative to contain the outbreak.
Dr Haske stated that, part of the measures put in place by the stakeholders including the activation of incident management system for Anthrax outbreak response, through one health concept strategy.
He stressed that, Zamfara State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and other partners had strengthened one health approach to tackle the outbreak.
“On January 5th, the state Ministry of health, Agriculture and that of environment confirmed the incident of Anthrax disease in Zamfara State from a client in Kauran Namoda.
“For now, the case has only being confirmed in Kauran Namoda local government and we identified the disease on animals but the disease can be transferred from Animal to human”.
According to him, massive sensitization and vaccination for anthrax is ongoing across the state with a view to sensitize the general public on the symptoms of the diseases
Dr Yusuf Haske also stated that, they engage livestock value chain stakeholders for early detection to tackle the outbreak.
He said early identification and reporting of suspected cases is crucial to contain the outbreak, and they are working closely with community leaders and traditional leaders to raise awareness and encourage prompt reporting.
According to him, a team had developed an incident action plan that will guide the response intervention across the response pillars at all levels.
