Nigerian govt places health workers on Ebola alert

The Federal Government has placed the country’s health workers on alert over the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in Conakry, Guinea.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who disclosed this at the daily media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said the federal government was constantly monitoring diseases of public health concern across the world.

He added that the government was observing the Ebola in the West African country.

The minister said: “The country Port Health Services have been put on alert on land, sea and air borders and all major hospitals have also been put on notice to alert health workers to have a keen index of suspicion and to check patient travel history, especially at Outpatient Departments, and report concerns to infectious disease focal persons and the state epidemiologists without hesitation.

READ ALSO: Nigeria struggling to contain covid-19 because it failed to learn from Ebola experience –SGF

“Stricter infection prevention and control measures, including personal protective measures, must be taken immediately there is reason to suspect.

“Nigeria is willing to send experienced volunteers from our Centres of Excellence on viral haemorrhagic fever, to support WHO measures to contain Ebola resurgence in our West African sub-region. It is important to protect the sub-region from the catastrophic burden of dealing with two severe diseases of public health concern.

“We shall work with the West Africa Health Organisation and WHO on strategies to bring this outbreak under control and shall provide regular updates on preparedness, containment and response measures in due course.”

The chairman of PTF, Boss Mustapha, who was also at the briefing, said the federal government would enhance surveillance at the nation’s borders to respond to recent outbreak of Ebola in neighbouring countries.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now