After 90 Deaths, Rivers Community Raises The Alarm Over Measles Outbreak

Following the outbreak of measles in  Kugbo Clan in Abua/Odual local government area of Rivers State, the people of the area have said there were no government hospitals to treat their children who were dying of the disease.

Three communities in the area, Amuruto-Kugbo, Emago-Kugbo and Akani-Kugbo had alleged that no fewer than 50 children have died since the outbreak of the measles in the area.

However, the claims of the communities were debunked by the chairman of Abua/Odual local government area, Hon Daniel E.O. Daniel, who insisted that no child has died as a result of the outbreak.

But, speaking on a live radio programme monitored in Port Harcourt yesterday, chairman of Emago-Kugbo Community Development Committee (CDC), Levi Marcus, said there were no functional hospitals in the entire Kugbo Clan.

Marcus stated that the closest hospitals to communities in Kugbo Clan were those in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State, saying that it costs up to N10,000 on transportation alone to get to the hospitals.

The CDC chairman said: “There is no hospital in our area. Even the dispensary that is here is covered by bushes. It is bushy. It was last night that they started clearing the environment because they heard that health officers are coming today (Thursday) to treat children.

“There is no hospital in Kugbo Clan. The dispensary is there but there is no doctor, no nurse.  We are only managing one health officer that is in-charge of the dispensary.

“I am a member of PDP. So, how can I use that to address my party while my people are dying. The children, the future leaders of tomorrow are dying.”

“The children are in the community, in their parents’ houses. Most of the parents are using local herbs to rub on the children.

“For those that have money, before you move from Emago- Kugbo to where a hospital is, you will spend not less than N10,000. The closest hospital to Emago-Kugbo is Kolo (Bayelsa State). The community is using Otueke and Otuasega (all in Bayelsa State).”

“So, moving out to those places, you will spend not less than N10,000 on transport alone. We go to  Bayelsa State for treatment and that is very expensive and most people in the community cannot afford that,” he said.