The deputy governor of Bayelsa, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has warned of a likely disease outbreak due to the flood, which affected most parts of the State.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo disclosed this while opening the 10th annual general meeting and scientific conference of the Nigerian Infectious Diseases Society (NIDS) in Yenagoa.

This year’s theme is “Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response: Challenges and Prospects for Resource-Constrained Settings.”

The deputy governor, who was represented by the Commissioner For Health, Pabara Igwele, expressed the hope that NIDS will use the conference to discuss infectious disease preparedness and response, particularly as it affects Bayelsa following floods that ravaged communities.

“The need to have discussions around infectious disease preparedness and response cannot be over-emphasised as we anticipate the outbreak of diseases after the flood, especially cholera, typhoid, increasing number of Monkeypox and COVID-19 cases and many other diseases.

“The discussions around your theme will hopefully be the panacea for managing infectious diseases viz-a-vis emerging and re-emerging diseases,” he said.

In his speech, the president of NIDS, Dimie Ogoina, said the NIDS had played a leading role in advancing the prevention and control of infectious diseases in the country through advocacy, education and training, public sensitisation, research and partnership.

He added that its members are at the forefront of various national and international committees relating to infectious diseases.

The chairman, Board of Directors of NIDS, Idris Mohammed, represented by Abdulsalam Nasidi, regretted that epidemic-prone infectious diseases have continued to occur in epidemic and, at times, pandemic proportions, causing a lot of disruptions in life and livelihood.

(NAN)