The Rivers State Commissioner of Health, Adaeze Oreh says the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) is actively coordinating the state’s Mpox response, and key strategic interventions have been deployed across all response pillars.

Oreh, made this known during an update on the state coordinated response to the Ongoing #Mpox Emergency Today.

According to her, Ad-hoc staff have been engaged and trained to bolster response capacity across all the levels of health care delivery, as active surveillance will be vital for early detection and effective case management.

She also said all infection prevention and control (IPC) facility focal persons have been directed to maintain a high index of suspicion in their facilities.

Part of the statement read “Mpox is a viral illness with symptoms like rashes of varying size and number, fever, body pain, and weakness. Most infected individuals recover within 2-4 weeks. However, some develop severe infections requiring hospitalization. The death rate varies widely, from 0.1% to 10%, but individual immunity plays a significant role in outcomes.

We currently have a comprehensive Incident Action Plan in place to guide our Mpox response.

This week active searches have commenced across all LGAs, so that the local government disease surveillance and notification officers can identify any cases that may have been missed earlier.

Tracking teams have been mobilised to identify, manage, and monitor both exposed contacts and exposed contacts to confirmed cases.

We have also recently trained key officers in surveillance, laboratory, and case management to bridge any knowledge gaps within our response chain, and community informants in all wards to swiftly identify and report potential Mpox cases. These informants are equipped to recognize symptoms, maintain a high index of suspicion, and take appropriate action when encountering suspected cases.

For case management, home management teams across the LGAs are available to support those in self-isolation. Infectious disease units at both the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital are fully equipped to handle Mpox cases requiring specialized care.

Guidelines for the recognition and treatment of Mpox are being distributed across health facilities in the state.

Our laboratory system is actively working with the National Reference Laboratory to ensure prompt diagnosis of Mpox cases, and we are working towards upgrading our state’s PCR laboratories to enable local diagnosis, which will significantly reduce turnaround times.

For logistics, we are stockpiling commodities for infection prevention and control supplies for surveillance and case management at our designated isolation and treatment centres. Our state medical ambulance service is on standby for rapid patient transport between locations, and we have pre-positioned vital commodities at facilities and entry ports.

In collaboration with the Federal Ports Health, our surge staff are supporting non-stigmatizing passenger screening at airports to ensure that screening procedures are conducted with respect for passenger privacy and dignity.

A virtual capacity-building session for all health workers in Rivers State will soon take place. This training will focus on building awareness, developing capacity for identification, and fostering a supportive environment for all health workers across the state.

All health facilities have been instructed to strictly adhere to existing IPC protocols – including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), isolation of suspected cases, and thorough decontamination procedures.

The dedicated Safe Burial Team is available to provide clear guidelines and protocols on how Mpox-infected deceased should be buried, and our team works closely with families to ensure safe burials and the protection of the uninfected while maintaining privacy and avoiding stigma.

Data collection is ongoing to determine the pattern of spread, and the behaviour of this ongoing Mpox strain, as research and knowledge sharing is an important response pillar just like Infection Prevention and Control, Risk Communication, Surveillance, Diagnosis, Case Management, and Coordination.

These are the activities that the Rivers State Ministry of Health is undertaking to protect the lives of the people of Rivers State during the ongoing national Mpox emergency.”