The Bayelsa State Government, Friday, suspended all forms of medical outreach program in public and private schools across the state following the scare of a purported injection given to students against the viral ‘MonkeyPox’ disease.
The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson announced this at a joint press briefing with his health counterpart, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu.
Iworiso-Markson said the government will monitor the situation and ensure strict compliance and urged the management of schools to verify the identity of those who come around there premises for one thing or the other.
The information boss described as deliberate misinformation the development which has led to the panic and withdrawal of students by parents from schools, stressing that no such thing is happening in the state.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Etebu debunked the rumor, saying it is unhealthy and called on parents to return their children back to schools as the government is on top of the situation.
He said: ” I want to say that there is no vaccination against ‘MonkeyPox’. So proprietors of schools should not allow any stranger to come and administer such on their pupils. Anyone dressed in Army uniform, clinical or lab cloth injecting children should be reported”..
“The rumor is unhealthy and we condemn it. As a government we are on top of the case and we will get to the root of where this falsehood emanated from” he said
It would be recalled that Bayelsa was the first state to record the outbreak of monkeypox lastweek before it was later discovered in other states.
