This month, the Cabinda Provincial Hospital has already treated more than 50 cases of citizens affected by conjunctivitis, an illness that is currently ravaging our country. Cabinda and Cacongo are the affected municipalities, while Buco-Zau and Belize have not yet recorded any cases, but authorities warn that cases are likely to increase
The head of the Public Health department in Cabinda, Gabriel Nionge Zau, in an interview with the OPAIS newspaper, confirmed the registration of several cases of hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, due to the frequent movement of citizens from Luanda to the province of Cabinda. “At the beginning of this month we were notified regarding the emergence of an outbreak of hemorrhagic conjunctivitis across the country and, given the exodus of the population moving in and out, unfortunately, the disease ended up spreading and we already have cases registered in our country”, he stressed.
According to Gabriel Nionge Zau, the trend of cases is to increase, which is leading health authorities to appeal to the population to observe preventive measures, especially frequent hand washing with running water and soap. Conjunctivitis, as the source explained, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva of the mucosa that covers the part of the eye that can be manifested in a traumatic or infectious way. The infectious manifestation is related to bacterial and viral causes.
“The conjunctivitis that is currently affecting the country has a viral cause, which is easily spread and easily spread, taking into account the degree of contagiousness that this disease causes within the population, when prevention measures are not followed”, detailed. As the main preventive measures, the head of the Public Health department in Cabinda highlighted hygiene with constant hand washing, avoiding direct contact with infected people, as conjunctivitis is a direct contact disease. Gabriel Nionge Zau devalued the myth that simply looking at a person infected with conjunctivitis can infect a healthy person.
“This is false, because the only way to spread the disease is direct physical contact with the infected person, or through spills left on objects by an infected person, it can infect another person.” Children, according to our interviewee, are the most affected by the disease as they are a very sensitive layer and, for this reason, he argued that children who attend daycare centers when infected with conjunctivitis should stay at home until their condition is cured. illness and not attend these institutions, because they might easily infect other children.
He also advised that people with conjunctivitis should not use swimming pools, as they might contaminate other people who frequent that space, and that frequent hand washing with running water and soap is recommended, and not in containers with stagnant water, which can serve as a means of transmitting the disease. “There are some very important measures that we are bringing to the attention of the population, as well as avoiding self-medication, buying medicines on the street to take”.
Medical treatment
Conjunctivitis, highlighted Gabriel Nionge Zau, is a self-limiting disease and can be cured in a short period of time, making it important to maintain hygiene, as it can cause additional symptomatic effects such as fever that can go away with the use of drugs such as dipyrone and, in some cases, you may need antibiotics, but only with a doctor’s prescription. Any symptom of the disease, he appealed, citizens should seek the nearest health services, where they can receive adequate medical assistance and obtain a prescription written by a doctor to purchase the appropriate medicines to combat the disease.
“Avoid highlighting natural products, that is, traditional medicines, although we recognize their therapeutic value, but when not used properly this can cause toxicity and can cause other consequences such as blindness”, he said.
BY: Alberto Coelho, Cabinda