President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
yesterday Friday has declared the control
and containment of the Ebola virus in
Nigeria, a National Emergency. The
President made this known through his
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,
Reuben Abati in Abuja in a Press Statement
which read
"Accordingly, the President has directed the
Federal Ministry of Health to work in
collaboration with the State Ministries of
Health, the National Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC), the National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA) and other
relevant agencies to ensure that all possible
steps are taken to effectively contain the
threat of the Ebola virus in line with
international protocols and best practices.
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President Jonathan also approved a Special
Intervention Plan and the immediate release
of N1. 9 billion for its implementation, to
further strengthen on-going steps to
contain the virus such as the establishment
of additional isolation centres, case
management, contact tracing, deployment
of additional personnel, screening at
borders, and the procurement of required
items and facilities.
The President commends the vigilance of
aviation and health authorities in Lagos
who identified and isolated the index case
in Nigeria, the late Patrick Sawyer, an
American-Liberian who flew into the
country.
He also applauds the good work of health
authorities at both State and Federal levels
who have traced persons who had contact
with him, isolated other identified cases
and embarked on massive public
enlightenment.
President Jonathan calls for even greater
vigilance and co-operation at all levels to
stop the Ebola virus from spreading further.
As the effective implementation of the
Federal Government's Special Intervention
Plan will require other stakeholders to take
certain precautionary steps that are
supportive of the government’s initiative,
the President calls on members of the
public to follow all directives by health
authorities and report any suspected Ebola
case to the nearest health facility for
immediate medical attention.
He also enjoins the public to desist from
spreading false information about Ebola
which can lead to mass hysteria, panic
and misdirection, including unverified
suggestions about the prevention, treatment,
cure and spread of the virus.
President Jonathan urges that the
movement of corpses from one community
to the other, and from overseas into the
country should be stopped forthwith. Every
death should be reported to the relevant
authorities, and special precautions should
be taken in handling corpses.
Religious and political groups, spiritual
healing centres, families, associations and
other bodies should, in the meantime,
discourage gatherings and activities that
may unwittingly promote close contact with
infected persons or place others at risk.
Public enlightenment agencies, including
privately-owned media organs should
support government’s efforts and
disseminate correct information in all
Nigerian languages, about preventive
personal hygiene measures, the nature of
the Ebola virus, modes of transmission and
consequential steps to be taken in the event
of infection.
President Jonathan appeals to State
governments and private day care, nursery,
primary and secondary schools owners to
consider the option of extending the current
school holiday until such a time when a
national reassessment of the level of the
Ebola threat is conducted.
The President further directs the National
Emergency Management Agency and similar
agencies at the state level to strengthen
their public enlightenment campaigns and
to use their networks to distribute hand
sanitisers and other protective items
nationwide. He has also directed the
aviation and health authorities to embark
on immediate intensification of the
screening of travelers at all the nation’s
borders.
President Jonathan reassures everyone that
the Government of Nigeria will continue to
take every step, deploy all resources, and
mobilize every support and assistance to
check the spread of Ebola in the country.
Medical workers and other health
professionals are expected to regard this
declaration of a National Emergency as a
patriotic call to duty and service."
REUBEN ABATI
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
Source: NTA