By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

I got to know about the outbreak of diphtheria, a communicable disease, from a post on an Obosi town’s WhatsApp group, which was written by Professor Nnamdi Benson Onyire. A professor of medicine at Alex Ekwueme Federal University/Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, Onyire has carved a niche for himself in the area of using his social media handles to call people’s attention to the outbreak of diseases. What he is doing is an aspect of his fascinating personality.

Speaking to this journalist about diphtheria, Onyire said that diphtheria is a highly contagious disease, which is caused by corynebacterium, an organism that produces toxins, which attack the heart, nerves, and other organs in the body.

Speaking further, Onyire delved deeper into the etymology of the disease, stating how it is spread, prevented, and treated, and listing its symptoms.

“The symptoms of diphtheria are sore throat, fever, drooling, swollen neck (bull neck), difficult and noisy breathing, hoarse voice, and weakness.

“And it is an airborne disease, which a person can contract when the person is at a place where an infected person sneezes or coughs. Our having contact with the open wounds of infected person can infect us with the disease, too.

“More so, our staying in places, which have low ventilation, for example, crowded classrooms and hostels can predispose us to contracting the disease,” Onyire said.

The revered and sedulous medical practitioner said that the outbreak and spread of diphtheria could be stopped by giving children diphtheria immunization; and adults, who are exposed to the disease while doing their jobs, boosters.

“Give pentavalent vaccines to children aged 6-14 weeks; and boosters to children, who are aged 16 -24 months; 5- 7 years; and 10-12 years.

“Again, catch-up vaccination should be given to children, who missed the vaccination. And boosters should be given to adults, especially teachers, health workers, and parents of young children as they are exposed to the disease while doing their jobs.

Onyire advised people to abide by standard sanitary rules, such as washing their hands with soap, covering their mouths when sneezing and coughing, and putting on masks when they have sore throats.

Professor Nnamdi Onyire, who is, also, the Chairman of the Obosi Development Union (ODU) Committee on Health and Longevity, said that schools should send any child that has sore throat and fever, which are symptoms of diphtheria, home.

He emphasized that it is important for parents to ascertain if their children have immunization gaps, with a view to completing their children’s immunization, saying that vaccines for diphtheria are administered to children for free at Primary Healthcare Centres.

He, also, said that people who have diphtheria can be cured by administering diphtheria anti-toxins and antibiotics injections to them while concluding, he stated that supportive care (giving oxygen and airway support) to people, who have diphtheria would help them to regain their good health.

Professor Nnamdi Benson Onyire has received accolades from people for using the social media, effectively, to call people’s attention to the outbreak of diseases, and teaching them about those diseases so as to halt their spread and reduce fatalities that will result from them.

•Chiedu Uche Okoye is of the Anambra State Ministry of Information and Value Reformation.