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Pandemonium broke out yesterday in some parts of Delta state resulting in parents/guardians storming schools to retrieve their children/wards after they heard men of the Nigerian Army are to administer vaccines to pupils and students in schools against the dreaded monkeypox outbreak.
Several parts of the state including Ughelli, Abraka, Sapele, Ekpan, Jeddo, amongst others were affected; but what actually happened?
Over the past days after the outbreak of monkeypox, several press releases have been circulating on social media, especially on WhatsApp, reportedly issued by States governments, and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
“The Nigerian Medical Association, Imo State wishes to inform the General public that though immunization is necessary for the prevention of some killer diseases especially in Childhood, there is no officially approved immunization programme going on in the state presently. As a result, parents and teachers are advised not to submit their wards to persons or group of persons for any purported form of immunization.
“This is on the backdrop of alarm being raised about “forced immunization” in some places in the state on Wednesday 11th October, 2017.
“Similarly, the Nigerian Medical Association Imo State advises the general public to stay away from all forms of “free medical programmes” that do not have the approval of Nigerian Medical Association, while we keenly monitor events unfold,” read one of such press releases reportedly signed by Dr. Dike Victor, Secretary of NMA, Imo.
It took TheNewsGuru fact checking team to unpin where and how the scare started, and how its spread.
TheNewsGuru reports it all started from popular Okugbe Primary School, Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area of the State where, upon the sight of a bus full of military men gave the impression that the soldiers were coming for immunization in the school.
It took the presence of prominent legal luminary, Chief Victor Otomewo to instill calm for the pupils not to run out of the school premises. But, even at that, some pupils managed to escape, and the fake news spewed out that soldiers are out immunizing school children in the state.
The entire community of Jeddo in Okpe LGA was thrown into confusion as well as parents/guardian did not take the rumour that started in the neighbouring community of Ekpan lightly.
“I don’t know if the persons truly exist. Some call them Boko Haram. Some said they injected some children in some schools and they all died. I don’t know how true this statement is. I cant play with the lives of my children,” a parent at the Ogiendo Primary School Jeddo told TheNewsGuru.
“Why will the ‘Crocodile Smiling’ Army be the right people to administer vaccines to people in the South South and South East regions?” she queried.
The case was not different at Ugbokodo community also of Okpẹ LGA.Literally everyone in the community came out to monitor their children from about 7:30 am till about 12 pm when the community vigilante group and the head master and principal of both government schools closed and paraded the students home on a single file.
Not too long after the Okugbe Primary, Ogiendo Primary schools, and the Ugbokodo incidence tension erupted in Abraka over alleged presence of Army vaccine team.
“It’s a false rumour, but parents are withdrawing their children from the schools,” a lecturer at the Delta State University who pleaded anonymity told TheNewsGuru fact checking team.
The story was not different in Ughelli as the same drama played out over the false rumour that the army is forcing school children to take the deadly anti-monkeypox vaccines.
Promptly, the Delta state government, through the Ministry of Information issued a press statement addressing the situation.
“The attention of the Delta State Government has been drawn to the fact that parents and guidance are going to schools to withdraw their children and wards out of panic.
“This panic measure is based on the falsehood and rumors making the rounds that some persons or groups are going to schools to forcefully inject children to death.
“Government hereby states without equivocation that there is no iota of truth behind this rumour as there is no vaccination currently going on in schools across the State.
“The state government has advised school heads to ensure optimum security in their schools by paying attention to all children and wards until the close of schools when parents or guardians come to take them home.
“Accordingly, the state Government has by this announcement advised Security agencies to be on the alert and to nip in the bud the antics of mischief makers who may want to take advantage of this falsehood and rumour to cause havoc.
“Residents of the state are advised to be calm and go about their normal businesses,” read the statement signed by Patrick Ukah, Delta State Commissioner for Information.
Meanwhile, the State government said it has tightened the nuts on the monkeypox outbreak, stating that necessary machinery has been put in place to ensure that the monkeypox outbreak does not enter the state.
TheNewsGuru reports the State government has concluded arrangements with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control for the rapid transfer of samples collected from suspected cases for confirmation.
Ukah said the state is maintaining constant border patrol of the three Local Government Areas, Patani, Bomadi and Burutu, that have common borders with Bayelsa State to forestall possible transfer of the disease into the state.
This he said is in addition to the disease outbreak prevention and case management materials that have been pre-positioned in the three Local Government Areas sharing common borders with Bayelsa State to forestall possible importation of the disease.
The commissioner revealed that the State Rapid Response team has also been placed on red alert to respond to emergencies wherever they may occur in the state.
Mr. Ukah appealed to members of the general public not to panic as adequate arrangements have been made to prevent and curtail the outbreak of the disease in Delta State.
He advised persons living in the state to report any person having the signs and symptoms of the disease to the nearest health centre or hospital immediately.