Contrary to the rumored case of guinea worm outbreak in the state, Ebonyi state government Tuesday debunked such claim emphasizing that there was no incidence of guinea worm infection in the state.
Speaking to reporters in Abakaliki, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike stated that the case being peddled was not a guinea worm case, but rather an infection caused by the outburst of boil in the leg of the victim.
Mrs. Katrina Ogwuda from Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state was wrongly diagnosed last week by a private clinic of being infected with guinea worm even as the rumour of the disease went viral across the state.
The Commissioner who cautioned journalists against publication of unconfirmed reports in the state noted that the news report about guinea worm outbreak was false and do not portray the state in a good light.
According to him, the scourge has since been eradicated from the state a long time ago.
“There is no guinea worm case in the state. We were worried over this rumoured case. It is a very bad signal. We have done all our investigations and discovered that it is not a guinea worm case. The victim only had blisters, boil and there was no worm in the leg”.
Also, a report of an investigative team on the rumoured case of guinea worm outbreak in the state by the Project Manager, Emmanuel Ogharu of Nigeria Guinea Worm Eradication Programme, NIGEP and obtained by The Nation said the case was not that of guinea worm disease.
“During the investigation, we saw a wound at the hip of the woman and no worm was seen. The conclusion is that the case is a rumored case,” the report concluded. (The Nation)
http://thenationonlineng.net/no-guinea-worm-outbreak-in-ebonyi/
