Senate on Outbreak of Measles
By Adamu Sambo
The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Health, National Orientation Agency, States, Local Governments and other relevant Agencies to embark on massive sensitization and awareness campaign on the dangers associated with measles with a view to eliminating the scourge in the Country. This followed a motion on the outbreak of the disease in parts of the Country which has so far killed dozens of children. Three letters of request from President Goodluck Jonathan were received by the Senate.
In the letters read on the floor by Senate President David Mark, President Jonathan is seeking formal consideration and enactment into law the Pension Reform Bill and Chemical Weapons Prohibition Bill. The President also requested for the confirmation of appointments of Mohamed Musa Kafarati collons Chikelube, Adaba Adeiza and Ayulie Jemide as Non-Executive Members of the CBN Board.
On the measles outbreak motion calling for urgent sensitization campaign as well as adequate supply of vaccines to the affected areas, Senator Danladi Sankara had told the Senate 36 children have already lost their lives and 3,590 others are on admission in various hospitals in the country. The motion was therefore adopted with a call for concerted efforts towards checking the menace particularly in the worst affected states of Jigawa, Katsina and Kano.
In the meantime, the Senate has begun the process of consideration of the report of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s Finance Committee on the Customs and Excise Management Act appeal and re-enactment Bill 2012. However, a bill for an Act to repeal the Quarantine Pet and enact the Nigeria Public Health Quarantine Isolation and Emerging Health Matters Procedure among others prevent the spread of dangerous infections, communicable diseases, organisations and agents in Nigeria sponsored by Senator Clever Ikisikpo passed second reading.
The ball was therefore referred to the Committee on Health and Agriculture for further legislative action. The Senate resumes plenary on Thursday.
