President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Friday in
Abuja declared the control and containment of
the Ebola virus in Nigeria, a National Emergency.
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. Continue...
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)
August 8, 2014