The Kwara State government has denied reports of alleged outbreak of a mystery illness that claimed 70 lives in Oro-Ago community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
The State’s Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Suleiman Alege, on Friday told newsmen in Ilorin, that the report is a mere rumor as the ministry has no confirmed outbreak of disease or fatalities in any part of the state.
He noted that there are epidemiological systems for reporting suspected disease outbreak in the state and that if any occurs, the State Health Response team would be the first to know and is always ready to swing into action.
The Commissioner recalled that when there were reported cases of Cholera in some communities in the State, the State government immediately deployed emergency kits to the affected areas and also commenced vaccination in most of the state primary healthcare centers to forestall outbreak of an epidemic.
Alhaji Alege noted that immediately the rumour of the strange disease broke last week Thursday, the Ministry of Health deployed a team from the endemic unit under the department of public health to the Gaa Okuta community along Oke-ode road axis in Ifelodun Local Government area who found no evidence of any strange illness or casualties.
He disclosed that members of the community also insisted that there was no disease outbreak in the area.
He further explained that when the rumour persisted, the state epidemiology team was redeployed to the community to verify and take samples for laboratory analysis.
The Commissioner, however, noted that when the team got to the community, residents insisted that there was no record of disease outbreak or death.
He added that the community’s water source was also tested to ascertain if there was any form of contamination.
Speaking on the state of the health centre in the community, the commissioner noted that Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has given the approval for its rehabilitation and posting of medical staff.
Also addressing pressmen, the Ifelodun council Chairman, Alhaji Mukaila Omoniyi Ayinla insisted that the reports of the alleged disease outbreak In Oro Ago community are false and should be disregarded.
He said the council is working on posting new medical team to the primary health care facility in the area, following the transfer of the staff at the facility.
