The Cross River State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), has intensified efforts to raise awareness and prevent disease outbreaks across the State.
The sensitization meeting, organised as part of UNICEF's communication and awareness drive, was held at the weekend in Calabar, to create awareness on cholera, Lassa fever and flood-related risks, with participants drawn from relevant sectors and communication backgrounds.
Speaking at the event, the Head of SOMTEC and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Orientation, Mr Anthony Okon represented by the State Director of Information, Mrs. Rekpene Uket, said the collaboration underscores the People First administration of Governor Bassey Otu's commitment to preventive healthcare and community health education.
According to her, the State is not just responding to outbreaks, but building resilient systems that empower families and communities with the right information to protect themselves.
"I take this exercise very seriously because prevention is cheaper and more effective than cure. What we are doing with UNICEF is taking the message to the grassroots, to markets, schools, worship centres and hard-to-reach communities using mass media and social media so that our people know how to prevent infection, when to seek care, and how to keep their environment safe," she said.
She noted that the state has had its own share of flooding that has devastated households and rendered many homeless, expressing hope that the campaign messages and distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials will help prevent future occurrences.
In her presentation, the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Blessing Ekpenyong, lauded UNICEF for the exercise and disclosed that despite the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system tracking 45 notifiable diseases, cholera, Lassa fever, Mpox, measles and yellow fever remain yearly recurring priority diseases in Cross River.
She said the situation is compounded by the state's shared inter-State boundaries and international land crossings with Cameroon, which increase cross-border transmission.
Dr. Ekpenyong revealed that almost all 18 LGAs report suspected cholera cases yearly, with Obubra, Abi, Biase, Odukpani, Obanliku, Ikom, Etung, Yakurr, Bakassi and Calabar Municipality as hotspots, worsened by open defecation and washing, bathing and defecating into water bodies.
She recalled that the worst-case scenario was in 2023, when the state recorded 724 suspected and confirmed cases, including deaths.
On Lassa fever, she said outbreaks occur yearly with high fatality, with at least two deaths annually, largely due to shared boundaries with endemic states like Ebonyi and Benue, listing Obubra, Yala, Abi, Ikom, Yakurr and Ogoja as hotspot LGAs.
She added that Mpox is reported every year, with more cases in Calabar Municipality and Calabar South than other LGAs, though fatality is rare, and named Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Akpabuyo, Akamkpa, Boki and Ikom as hotspots.
She urged residents to maintain personal and environmental hygiene, stop open defecation, keep food away from rodents, practice regular handwashing and promptly report suspected cases, while calling on community leaders, traditional institutions and the media to join the campaign.
During the meeting, Mr. Agaji Ntamu and Dr Charles Effiong, Resource Persons from the University of Calabar, presented the final scripts which was adopted for production and subsequent airing.
By Nakanda Iyadim and Alicent Obriku
