doctors than it has patients.
The doctor that treated the late American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, at
a private hospital in Lagos, was the first to be infected with the
virus in Nigeria. Just last week, the chief matron at the hospital
where Sawyer was treated became the first Nigerian to die of the Ebola
Virus Disease.
On Monday, health authorities in Nigeria disclosed that the 10th
confirmed case of Ebola is a nurse. All the people that have been
confirmed to have contracted the disease in the country have been
health workers.
This should, however, not come as a surprise, as Ebola is a disease
that is transferred from the body fluids of an infected person to
another uninfected person.
Experts note that since health workers are one of the first persons to
come in contact with the body fluids of an infected person they are at
a higher risk of contracting the disease without knowing.
A surgeon, Dr. Jide Olanrewaju, explains that an infected health
worker constitutes a greater danger to the public, hence, the need for
them to protect themselves from getting infected.
He states that these are not times for doctors or nurses to compromise
standard procedures when patients with symptoms similar to Ebola come
to their health facilities - either public or private.
Olanrewaju says their carelessness or ignorance could cost them their
lives and also lead to further outbreak of the viral disease.
He states," You can only contract Ebola from a sick patient, someone
that is already showing the symptoms. That is why doctors and nurses
are one of the most affected. They are one of the primary contacts
with a sick person.
" That is why they have a role to play in reducing the outbreak of
Ebola, because any health worker, who unknowingly contracts the virus
while treating the patient, will unknowingly give it to his/her family
or co workers and other patients in that hospital.
"Ebola has killed over 61 doctors in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone
and one nurse in Nigeria. It is a serious issue that doctors and
nurses must take seriously for their safety and that of the public."
To reduce their risks for infection, Olanrewaju notes that health
workers must follow infection-control procedures.
He explains, "We are saying that if a sick patient who has a
combination of Ebola symptoms like high fever, diarrhoea and vomiting
comes to the hospital, the nurse or doctor must wear protective
clothing such as gloves, nose masks and gowns while attending to the
patient, to minimise the risks. Until the patient is properly
diagnosed, stick to this procedure while treating the patient. It is
an infection-control policy that all health professionals must stick
to this period."
Ebola virus is the nightmare of many doctors. Even the World Health
Organisation notes that those at the highest risk of contracting it
are health care workers who treat patients without taking the right
precautions to avoid infection.
The WHO says they could get infected in the course of feeding,
injecting, holding and caring for the sick.
The global body advises health workers to be at alert; wear personal
protective equipment, observe universal basic precautions when
attending to suspected or confirmed cases, and report to the local
health authorities immediately.
Other measures, which include washing of hands often with soap and
water, avoiding bodily contact with people who are sick and ensuring
that objects used by the sick are decontaminated and properly
disposed, are also meant to reduce the risk of infection.
It notes that one could still contract the virus from an infected
person as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus - in
some cases, up to seven weeks after they have recovered.
For those who do not know yet, Ebola Virus Disease is an haemorrhagic
fever and one of the most virulent viral diseases known to humankind.
It has no known cure and it could kill an infected person within hours
or few days of symptoms, whether the victim gets treatment or not.
The initial symptoms of the viral disease can include sudden fever,
intense weakness, muscle pain and sore throat, can later progress to
vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some cases, internal and external
bleeding. The Ebola virus does not respond to any vaccine.
The incubation period of the virus can last from two days to three
weeks, and diagnosis is difficult. The best treatment affected persons
get is therapy.
From PUNCH
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