name. It stands isolated at a side of the Lagos Mainland Hospital.
It's the host of the isolation ward designated by the Lagos State
Ministry of Health for the management of the Ebola Virus Disease. And
as at Tuesday,SUNDAY PUNCHlearnt that no fewer than eight patients of
the EVD were quarantined there.
The Isolation ward was metres away from the hospital entrance. Housed
in a white tarpaulin cover, with coconut trees in front of it, a
worker with a face mask stood by the door clutching a shovel. A few
hospital workers moved in and out of adjoining wards, but not the
Isolation ward. But beside it, a few persons, most of them with face
masks, clustered. One of them told our correspondent that she came to
visit a patient in one of the 'regular' wards.
At the entrance of the hospital, two security guards were seen wearing
latex gloves and face masks, like many other hospital staff and some
visitors.
"I'm wearing the protective gloves and masks because I just came from
one of the wards," said a female visitor who was just leaving the
hospital.
SUNDAY PUNCH was informed that visitors could move around the hospital
without protective gloves or face masks barring some designated
points,.
"As you can see, I'm not wearing any protective glove or face mask, so
you can move safely anywhere around here, but don't go into areas with
red ribbon tapes, danger, don't go there," the doctor said.
Some of the hospital staff who spoke with our correspondent expressed
confidence that they would not be infected with the deadly virus.
"Ebola is not airborne and there is no danger here as long as you
don't come in contact with an infected patient," said one nurse in the
hospital.
"Before now, it was tuberculosis, later it was HIV/AIDS, now they have
brought Ebola, but there is no iota of protection for us. At a point,
we were asking for special hazard allowance for those of us working
here, which we did not get," said another staff who pleaded anonymity.
SUNDAY PUNCH also gathered that volunteer doctors and nurses were paid
an additional allowance for working inside the isolation ward.
"Volunteer doctors who work inside the isolation ward are paid N50,000
for a shift, while the nurses are paid N30,000, while other assistants
are paid N20,000 or so. Our own hazard allowance as staff is N5,000
across board; it would be nice if they increase it," said the source
who added that a shift runs from 8am to 8pm.
But outside the hospital, it was business as usual. A tricycle rider,
who gave his name as Nicholas, said he was not scared of Ebola virus
because it was not airborne. "There are many diseases out there, it's
only God that protects one," he said.
A 14-year-old SSS1 student, Tife George, whose family house close to
the hospital, said he saw four patients that were brought to the
hospital. "I am not afraid of contracting Ebola because I don't go
close to or touch an infected person," he said. Also, my parents
warned us to stay indoors more and to wash our hands with soap and
water regularly," he said.
One of the shop owners, Mrs. Augustina Emmanuel, said since the Ebola
virus became a major issue, she has become more hygiene-conscious. "I
have bathed twice with hot water mixed with salt and I also take
bitter kola, like I heard from other people. I don't know if it is
true," she said.
PUNCH.
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