Nigeria’s Minister for Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu says reports that the ECOWAS diplomat, Koye Ibukun, who brought Ebola virus disease to Port Harcourt, will be prosecuted is untrue.
Chukwu, who said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, noted that only the Attorney General of the federation has the right to prosecute the diplomat.
The Minister also reiterated that the case of the spread of the Ebola virus disease had been brought under control in Rivers State, adding that the state now has the technical-know-how to manage the spread of the virus.
He also confirmed that the woman, who died at the isolation centre at Oduoha, died of the Ebola virus.
Chukwu lamented the problem of stigmatization of any individual linked to the Ebola virus disease.
“We have always stigmatized people. Ebola is not the first cause of stigma. Stigma is not an issue. How many people have stigmatized you because you have Ebola? Let me tell you, more people have been dying of malaria in Nigeria than Ebola.
“The woman that died, died of the Ebola virus disease, which could have been made worse because of other underlining sickness she had.
“You can manage Ebola successfully, but it does not mean we have a drug yet. There are things the doctor must do when he knows you are suffering from the Ebola Virus Disease”, Chukwu said.
He, however, called on the people of the state to cooperate and collaborate with the Rivers State Government in their bid to combat the spread of the virus in the state.
He went further to disclose that reports that Nigeria was gradually losing the battle against Ebola outbreak was frivolous and untrue.
An international news agency, Reuters had reported that Nigeria and other West African countries that had been hit with the Ebola virus disease lacked the capability to manage the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, while briefing newsmen after inspecting the laboratory of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the mortuary at the University of Port Harcourt teaching Hospital, UPTH, Chukwu maintained that Nigeria with the support of other international agencies, was handling the Ebola case effectively.
He also said like Lagos, Rivers State will soon be ready to offer assistance on Ebola virus to other states when the need arises.
He gave a pass mark to the facilities put in place by the Rivers State government in the effort to combat the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in the state.
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