GOVERNORS in South-West states,
on Wednesday, met in Lagos, to hold an emergency meeting over concerted efforts
to be deployed in containing the Ebola virus disease in the states.
This came as the Lagos State
government confirmed the death of one of the nurses who had first degree
contact with the dead Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who died of Ebola virus disease
in Lagos.
Speaking through the Lagos State
governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, at the Government House, Alausa, Lagos, the
governors told newsmen that cross-border movements were major constraints in
combating Ebola, while appealing to the Federal Government to deploy manpower
and resources to curtail the spread.
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun
lamented that despite 58 Hilux vans patrolling the over 70 illegal borders
between Lagos and Ogun, there was still the need for the Federal Government to
assist with more vehicles and security forces.
Also, the Ondo State governor, Dr
Olusegun Mimiko, called on all Nigerians to be stakeholders in the quest to
combat Ebola, by being conscious of their personal hygiene.
Speaking on the case of the
latest Ebola victim, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, at
a press briefing with newsmen at Alausa, on Wednesday, said the nurse (names
withheld) reportedly died on Tuesday at 2.06 p.m.
The development made the number
of deaths recorded in Nigeria as a result the Ebola virus disease two.
According to Idris, of the six
persons whose samples were taken for a laboratory test, four had tested
positive to the virus, one came out negative and the last was still
inconclusive.
Minister of Health, Professor
Onyebuchi Chukwu, in another press briefing in Abuja, also confirmed the
development, saying that Nigeria has now recorded seven confirmed cases of the
Ebola virus disease, with the first case being that of Sawyer.
“The other five cases are
currently being treated at the isolation ward in Lagos,” he said.
According to Idris, of the total
70 people being monitored, based on contact tracing from the index case that
came into the country from Liberia, eight was admitted with their blood samples
taken.
He added, however, that secondary
contact tracing of all the admitted had commenced, noting that 27 of them had
been reached, while efforts were on to trace others.
The commissioner also said more
volunteers were needed, especially contact trackers; case management personnel,
especially those with experience in but not restricted to infectious disease
control.
He allayed the fears of health
workers who had the required expertise, as, according to him, the government
was willing to take care of such volunteers in terms of safety to personal
health, life insurance cover and whatever genuine assurance they might require.
“The bottom line is that we
cannot provide the requisite quality and quantity of health workers needed for
the management of these cases. Outsiders would find it difficult to come in and
help as is the case in scarce human resource in health settings,” he said.
Idris also appealed to
businessmen and women who sold materials and equipment needed in the management
of the virus not to cash in on the unfortunate situation by unduly increasing
the prices of their commodities.
Professor Chukwu also revealed
that emergency operations centre would be set up and fully functional by today
and would, according to him, be headed by Dr Faisal Shuaibu as the incident
manager.
“He (Dr Shuaibu) will later today
(Wednesday) lead a six-man inter agaency team drawn from the National Primary
Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the United States Centre for Disease
Control (CDC), World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to Lagos to complete the
setting up of the centre,” the minister said.
“Within the week, the Minister of
Information and I would be visiting Lagos State to assess the situation on
ground. I wish to, once again, reassure Nigerians that the government is
working hard to ensure the containment of the outbreak,” he added.