Abia State Ministry of health has issued an urgent health advisory to all residents of the State regarding the outbreak of diphtheria in Imo, a neighbouring state.

Briefing journalists on Monday after this week’s executive council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti, the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu said preventive measures included vaccination for children and for adults who are not sure of their diphtheria status.

He urged parents to be vigilant in taking note of any child that shows symptoms of diphtheria.

Kanu, who advised citizens to report any suspected case to local health authorities, urged stakeholders to disseminate the information.

He also disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health had declared Abia state free of river blindness after 30 years of mass drug administration to control the disease.

The commissioner further announced that the government, through the State Ministry of Transport, had established an enforcement team to arrest drivers who drive against traffic, as well as impound their vehicles.

He made it clear that arrested defaulters would be made to pay heavy fines and spend huge sum of money to retrieve their impounded vehicles, while those who refused to pay fines on their impounded vehicles would have such vehicles auctioned by the State government.

The measure, he said, was to save Abia citizens from the rising cases of accidents caused by “One Way Drivers”.

“The enforcement of these rules will be very stringent. Offenders will be prosecuted and fined very heavily, and when you cannot pay your fines, your vehicle will be impounded.

“Over time, if you don’t pick it up, it will be auctioned”, said Kanu