By  CHIDI NKWOPARA
About seven children have been reported dead, following the outbreak of gastro enteritis in Okigwe local government area of Imo State.

Already, the ‘A’ Field Office of United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Enugu, last weekend, moved emergency medical supplies to the State Ministry of Health, Owerri.

Making the presentation on behalf of UNICEF, the Logistics/Warehouse Assistant, Mr. Patrick Okoroikpa, revealed that his office got the information two days earlier and decided to send the emergency supplies immediately.

“What we brought in is UNICEF’s rapid response package. UNICEF cannot fold its hands and watch helplessly and innocent children die from preventable diseases. This is why we had to quickly intervene as soon as we got wind of the outbreak”, Okoroikpa said.

According to the UNICEF officer, the organization delivered 7,000 sachets of ORS, 10 packets of 20 milligrammes of zinc tablets, one drum of chlorine, 400 pieces of filter cloth, 150 pieces of 25-litre jerry cans and 200 units of 10-litre buckets.
“UNICEF will definitely do more as soon as the state government gets a comprehensive report on the cause of the outbreak. Our target now is to treat those already affected, as well as stem further spread of the epidemic”, Okoroikpa said.
Receiving the package from the UNICEF representative, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Victor Onyeagoro, confirmed that seven children have so far died from the epidemic.

“The epidemic started from Ihube and Okigwe town. We have also received reports that some cases have manifested in Oguta and just two cases in Owerri North local government area”, Onyeagoro said.

Commending UNICEF for promptly coming into the issue, Onyeagoro also disclosed that epidemiologists were already in the field tackling the outbreak.