Residents of Wubara, a community in the Jiwa ward of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), find themselves in a state of confusion following a recent surge in the outbreak of chickenpox.
Chickenpox, triggered by the varicella-zoster virus, manifests as a pruritic rash accompanied by tiny blisters filled with fluid. Being highly contagious, it poses a significant risk of transmission to individuals who have not been previously infected or vaccinated against the illness.
Chairman of the council, Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, represented by the Supervisory Council for Health, Faoye Tunji, confirmed the recent surge of the disease during a medical outreach in Wubara. He lamented the impact of the outbreak on several households and expressed condolences for the lives lost. Maikalangu stressed the urgent need for a permanent solution to prevent further occurrences and urged residents to maintain healthy lifestyles.
Dr. Dorothy Ihegazie, Programme Officer for Disease Control at the Health Unit/Department of AMAC, reiterated the council’s commitment to providing medical outreach services to the community. She assured the availability of drugs at the pharmacy and encouraged residents to cooperate with medical professionals.
Chief of Wubara, Alhaji Ibrahim Dallatu, expressed satisfaction with the medical outreach program, highlighting its effectiveness in combating potential diseases within the community.
During the outreach program, medical professionals examined over 1,000 community members and administered necessary medications. The initiative also provided medications for various ailments, including malaria, typhoid, child immunization, COVID-19 vaccination, poliomyelitis, monkeypox, and chickenpox, underscoring efforts to address health concerns in the area.
