Gov Otu Orders Investigation Into Outbreak Of Sleeping Sickness

The Cross River State governor, Bassey Otu, has ordered an immediate investigation into a sudden outbreak of abnormal sleep disorder in the Ebom community of the Abi local government area of Cross River State.

In response to this development, Otu also ordered an investigation into the activities of all medicine dealers, especially patent medicine vendors operating in Ebom and other communities in the Abi local government area of the state.

The governor gave the orders Tuesday in Calabar, while reacting to sudden outbreak of the disease that hit the community residents a week ago.

Speaking on behalf of the governor, the state commissioner for Health Dr Henry Ayuk, stated that investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the disease outbreak can help the government tackle the menace.

A statement signed by the Health Commissioner sighted by LEADERSHIP directed the directorates of medical and pharmaceutical services of the State Ministry of Health to launch an urgent investigation into activities of patent medicine dealers operating in Ebom and other surrounding communities in Abi local government area of the state.

The statement stressed that such a directive is imperative as results from blood and urine samples collected from victims of the outbreak and analyzed at laboratories at Asi Ukpo Medical Laboratories and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital have shown high levels of benzodiazepines, which are powerful sedatives and depressants.

The statement stressed that benzodiazepines are powerful and dangerous drugs with fatal outcomes that should never had been dispensed without the authorisation of a certified medical expert.
The statement assured residents of the state of government’s determination to bring all illegal dispensers of the dangerous drugs to book.

“The directorates of Medical and Pharmaceutical Services will work closely with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the State Health Quality and Anti Quackery Taskforce to immediately commence enquiry of stakeholders involved in the misuse of benzodiazepines and other substance abuse in the said communities,” the statement maintained.
It would, however, be recalled that Ebom community, over a week ago, was hit with sleep disorders suspected to be trypanosomiasis or substance abuse, leaving several residents hospitalised.

The health commissioner, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk and the director general of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Vivien Mesembe Otu, and their teams expedited swift action to arrest the situation.