He Jigawa State The Ministry of Health has raised the alarm over an outbreak of acute viral conjunctivitis, popularly known as Apollo, in some communities across the state.
The ministry therefore ordered schools and health authorities to step up preventive measures against the spread of the disease as schools prepare to resume activities on Monday.
The directive was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Public Health and Disease Control, Dr. Abubakar D. Said Kanya, on behalf of the Commissioner of Health.
The ministry said the development required immediate and coordinated actions to prevent further transmission, ensure early detection and provide prompt treatment to affected students and community members.
He directed all schools to strengthen health education and awareness among students, teachers and other school staff on practical measures to prevent the spread of the infection.
The ministry urged students and school staff to wash their hands regularly with soap and clean water and avoid touching or rubbing their eyes, especially with unwashed hands.
It also warned against sharing towels, tissues, facial wipes, pillows, cosmetics, eye drops, medications and other personal items that could facilitate transmission.
According to the directive, students who develop symptoms of infection should immediately inform their teachers or school authorities and seek medical attention at the nearest health center.
Schools were also advised to avoid close contact between students and people with red or infected eyes and ensure regular cleaning of commonly touched surfaces.
At the local government level, primary health care managers and heads of WASH departments were directed to coordinate the response in collaboration with primary eye care/ETD coordinators, disease surveillance and notification officers (DSNOs), health promotion officers and other relevant health personnel.
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The ministry tasked the teams with carrying out targeted sensitization and active identification of cases in affected schools and communities, especially in areas where cases have already been reported.
DSNOs were also ordered to strengthen surveillance and ensure that suspected outbreaks or unusual increases in cases were promptly reported through established surveillance channels.
Schools were urged to immediately notify relevant health authorities when clusters of suspected cases were detected.
To ensure prompt treatment, the Health Commissioner ordered immediate availability of basic essential medicines for the treatment of the affected students.
Accordingly, JiPHARMA was directed to make the drugs available at its headquarters in Dutse and three stores for further distribution to all 27 local government areas.
Deputy Directors in charge of Essential Drugs were directed to liaise with NTDs/Primary Eye Care Coordinators and DSNOs to facilitate preparation and submission of applications to the nearest JiPHARMA store or office.
Additionally, LGA teams were directed to quickly order necessary medications, distribute supplies to appropriate health facilities, and ensure that affected students were referred to the nearest appropriate health facility for treatment.
They were also tasked with maintaining adequate stocks at health centers serving schools in affected areas, while monitoring consumption and replenishment needs.
The ministry emphasized that the response must be integrated and coordinated, with LGA primary health care managers providing overall leadership and other relevant officials offering technical support.
It listed immediate priorities as preventing transmission, detecting cases early, making prompt referrals, providing appropriate treatment and ensuring effective reporting and monitoring.
The ministry urged all concerned authorities to consider the directive as urgent, particularly given the planned resumption of schools on Monday.
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