Monkey pox: Bayelsa Govt suspends health activities in schools

The Bayelsa State Government, on Friday, suspended all forms of medical outreach programme in public and private schools across the state, following the scare of a purported injection given to students against the viral ‘MonkeyPox’ disease.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, announced the suspension at a joint press briefing with his Health counterpart, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu.
Iworiso-Markson said the government would monitor the situation and ensure strict compliance while urging the management of schools to “verify the identity of those who come around their premises for one thing or the other”.
He described as deliberate misinformation the development which has led to the panic and withdrawal of students by parents from schools and stressed that “there is no such thing happening”.
Etebu also debunked the rumour, saying it is unhealthy and called on parents to return their children back to schools as the government is on top of the situation.
” I want to say that there is no vaccination against ‘MonkeyPox’. So, proprietors of schools should not allow any stranger to come and administer such on their pupils. Anyone dressed in Army uniform, clinical or lab cloth injecting children should be reported”.
“The rumour is unhealthy and we condemn it. As a government, we are on top of the case and we will get to the root of where this falsehood emanated from” he said.