Barely one week after the world health organization declared Nigeria free of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, President Goodluck Jonathan has given a nod for the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control to support Ebola-ravaged countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The president said health workers would help the country in their fight against the killer disease, which has sent many to the grave.
This is just as 250 Nigerian health experts are set to be deployed in these countries in the next few days.
DailyPost recalls that a Liberian national by name, Patrick Sawyer imported the disease into the country some months back, despite warning from the country’s health sector against his movement.
Sawyer eventually died in Lagos and was cremated.
The Supervising Minister of Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, who made this known during a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja, warned that the ban of transportation of corpses was still active in Nigeria except proper clearance is obtained from the Ministry of Health.
He said, “It is important that I inform you all that we have identified 506 volunteers ready for deployment in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The first contingent of 250 Nigeria experts will be deployed as soon as possible after having concluded all necessary logistics under the watch of World Health Organisation.
“In addition to this, I am happy to announce that Mr. President has approved that our NCDC supports these countries to build local capacity of health workers to enhance their response.
“Nigeria’s public health must not be taken for granted and we must not go to sleep and start resting on our oars.
“It should serve as a warning that this current outbreak of EVD still presents a measured threat to Nigeria and the rest of the world until it is contained and eliminated from all countries, particularly from the West African sub-region.
“Without this, the possibility of a re-importation of EVD into Nigeria remains high; thus it is not quite over yet. It is with this regard that we have developed a Nigerian Ebola Preparedness Plan with all elements to work with the states to activate their incident management systems, to strengthen our national preparedness and be ready to respond to a potential outbreak, should it occur again.”
He said, “To our health workers, who are the guard of this country, it is no more business as usual in our outpatient departments, clinics and operation theatres; we must raise our level of index of suspicion because we are the first contact. It is no more business as usual in handling routine cases.
“Transportation of corpses is still banned until duly cleared by the Ministry of Health after receiving the required documents. Therefore, we still appeal to Nigerians to be patient”.
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