NIGERIA IS SWINE –FLU FREE, OSOTIMEHIN

Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin has come out strong that Nigeria has not recorded any trace of the swine-flu that is spreading fast across the world. He made this statement during an emergency meeting of stakeholders and Partners on Swine Flu in his office. “So far as at 30th April 2009, Nigeria has not recorded any suspected case of Swine flu and the Federal Government of Nigeria is prepared to contain any outbreak of Swine Flu in the Country”. He said.
In order to promptly detect and effectively respond to any suspected case, the Ministry has put in place; The National Epidemic Preparedness and Response Committee to include state commissioners of Health, the WHO case definition with surveillance guidelines and Swine Flu Laboratory guidelines disseminated to all States Ministries of Health including clinicians and the states’ Epidemiologists have also been directed to carry out sensitization activities and conduct surveillance in their various states. Stressing further that surveillance has been strengthened at all ports of entry into the country and all Federal Port Health Services Officers are on the alert at all international Airports.
Osotimehin also said that immediate steps of procuring drugs and supplies and Laboratory Reagents, madia ,training of State’s Directors of Public health, Epidemiologists, Prepositioning of drugs and supplies in all the States including FCT and Federal Hospitals, training of Port Health Services officers on swine flu identification, Training of Laboratory Scientists on the laboratory confirmation of Swine Flu, and sensitization meetings with International Health Regulations/Stakeholders on Swine flu have been taken.
Meanwhile, Dr. Junaidu Maina, Chief Veterinary Officer of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has said that the Swine Flu is a human disease, as there has been no scientific proof that it’s transmitted from pig but from human to human. The Country Representative of the World Health Organization, WHO has reiterated the WHO’s commitment in addressing the possible outbreak of the Swine Flu.
The Minister added that mechanisms would be put in place to ensure the massive creation of awareness to reach the public with special awareness campaign package on NTA Network news, the FRCN and FM Stations across the 36 States and FCT.
It will be recalled that on the 25th April 2009, The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of Swine Flu in Mexico and the USA; this was in accordance with the International Health Regulations (IHR2005) of which Nigeria is a signatory. So far, nine countries have officially reported 148 cases of Swine Influenza A/H1N1 infections in humans, with the USA confirming the human case of Swine influenza in 6 states with 1 death recorded in a 23 months old toddler. Meanwhile, Mexico appeared to top the countries with the highest record of the Swine Flu. So far, 26 cases have been confirmed with 7 deaths recorded, while Canada had so far recorded 13 cases and no death and Spain with 4 confirmed cases with no death. The following countries have also reported laboratory confirmed cases but with no death: Austria (1), New Zealand (3), Israel (2), Germany (30) and the United Kingdom with five cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said, “While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase % is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measure is now”