states in the federation have adopted measures to prevent the spread
of the Ebola virus to their regions.
SundayPUNCHlearnt that most of the states drawing up strategies to
prevent the spread of the disease are working to ensure that the virus
remains in Lagos.
Even as the states worked on their anti-ebola strategies during the
week there were reports that some individuals had been tested for the
virus in Enugu and Kwara states.
Last week, one of the nurses who was in contact with the first Ebola
victim in Nigeria, Patrick Sawyer, escaped quarantine in Lagos and
fled to Enugu to meet her family members.
Reports say all the 20 people that the nurse came in contact with have
been put under surveillance while she and her husband were sent back
to the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Yaba, Lagos State.
Also, in Ilorin, Kwara, a seven-month-old baby is being monitored
after exhibiting symptoms of the virus.
SUNDAY PUNCHgathered that the Ondo State government had started the
screening of in-bound travellers from Lagos and other neighbouring
states to detect carriers of the Ebola virus.
The Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, told our
correspondent on Friday that equipment and other protective medical
facilities had been procured for use by health workers who have been
posted to strategic areas.
He said, "We have placed our health workers at our border towns with
states like Osun, Ekiti, and Ogun so that those coming from Lagos
where the Ebola virus has been fully identified can be screened.
" We have also provided our health workers with protective equipment
so that they can adequately handle the issues. Because there is no
cure yet for the disease, we are also enlightening the people on ways
they can protect themselves."
Akinmande noted that although the Akure airport had no direct flight
from Lagos, the state government was keeping close watch on travelers
from Abuja and other parts of the country.
Similarly, the Bayelsa State the Commissioner for Information, Mr.
Markson Fefegha, said the state government would "monitor people
coming from other states to ascertain if they had the Ebola virus."
Fefegha also said the state would not receive corpses into the state
from any other state, particularly, Lagos.
"We have 103 Ebola surveillance centres across the local governments
in the state. The two major centres are the Federal Medical Centre,
Yenagoa and the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital in Okolobiri
as well as small units in other parts of the state," he said.
Also in Kwara, the state Chairman of Ebola Viral Disease Control
Committee, Prof. Sunday Opabola, told our correspondent that
government and residents "are wary of visitors from Lagos."
According to him, the seven-month baby who is suspected to have the
virus was brought into the state by his parents from Ibadan.
Opabola said one of the people that was taking care of the baby had
come from Lagos to Ibadan and later left for Lagos before the parents
and the baby visited Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
He stated that the state government had earmarked the Sobi Specialist
Hospital and two other hospitals in the state for possible Ebola
patients while dedicating an ambulance to convey Ebola patients.
In Edo State, the Information and Orientation Commissioner, Louis
Odion, said following the spread of the virus, the state government
was set to hold a meeting that would deliberate on how to keep the
virus from the state.
A source in the ministry of health, who spoke on the condition of
anonymity, told our correspondent that the state government was set to
inaugurate a committee on Monday which would consider several measures
to curtail the spread of the virus.
In an anticipation of an outbreak of the dreaded disease, the Plateau
State Government has set up a quarantine site.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Elias Pede,
told our correspondent in an interview that the site was set up at the
old site of the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH.
Akwa Ibom State Government has also set up a rapid response team to
coordinate response in the event of Ebola outbreak in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. EmemAbasi Bassey, said health
personnel had been advised to use gloves and masks when attending to
sick patients.
Ironically, in Enugu State, which has recorded a possible Ebola
outbreak, an official of the state government, who did not wish to be
named, noted there was no diagnostic laboratory to test suspected
cases of Ebola disease.
PUNCH
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