The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says carelessness and insensitivity on the part of the Governor of the State, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Samson Parker, are responsible for the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the State.
The state government has confirmed the death of a Doctor, Ike Samuel Enamoa.
The Rivers state government had also initially at a media briefing debunked rumours that an Ebola case was recorded in the state.
However, the PDP in a statement signed by Jerry Needam, the media aide to the State PDP Chairman, noted that Amaechi’s laxity in putting in place necessary facilities and modalities in preventing the Ebola outbreak is regrettable
The PDP said the Rivers State situation might be more severe than that of Lagos State.
The party alleged that the Rivers state government intended to embezzle some more funds with this development.
According to him, “The PDP expresses astonishment while reacting to the death of the medical Doctor in Port Harcourt, who had contact with an Ebola patient, and who’s wife and over 200 persons are reportedly being infected with the Ebola virus in Port Harcourt.
“The PDP regretted that all efforts by the Federal Government to contain the spread of Ebola to Rivers State were rebuffed by Governor Rotimi Amaechi, including shunning a meeting convened in Abuja on the prevention of the spread of Ebola to other States, presided over by President Jonathan, which had in attendance, 35 States Governors, except him (Amaechi).
“At the meeting, modalities for containment of the spread of the virus were considered and agreed upon, and all the governors in attendance resolved and had immediately taken proactive steps in impeding the spread.
“This development, the PDP believes, elucidates the fact that the Governor had always looked for an avenue to milk
dry the State, as what he and his Executive members will now do is to present an expansive budget purportedly for dealing with the current avoidable situation in the State, thereby enriching themselves.
“The Party also observes that rather than key into the policies and programmes of the Federal Government in containing the spread of Ebola to Rivers State, Governor Amaechi prefers to embark on ward to ward APC campaigns in the State, against the advice by the Rivers State Police Command.
“By the latest development in the State, PDP is convinced that more Ebola cases are in Rivers State, following out right negligence of the governor, who prefers to travel to other parts of the States and beyond than stay back and first tackle Ebola and other emergency developments.
“The PDP also expresses strong disapproval of claims made by the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, that all adequate measures have been taken to contain the spread of Ebola in Rivers State, believing that if that was the true reflection of government’s action, the heart breaking death of Dr. Elemo would have been avoided.
“The PDP is not in doubt that all actions taken by the Rivers State Government so far, are measures that are not in the interest of the people, but aimed at looting the State resources.”
In the meantime, DailyPost reports that the state Ministry of Health has started the screening of individuals entering into public hospitals in the state using the infared thermometer to detect any case of high fever.
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