What Texas can learn from Nigeria when it comes to containing Ebola - Washington Post
Published on Saturday, 04 October 2014 14:18
By Washington Post





Washington - While devastating reports continue to stream out of West Africa, where the deadly virus has overwhelmed already weak public health systems and left thousands of people dead, and anxiety grips the United States over the first case of Ebola diagnosed in the country, one nation serves as an example of hope: Nigeria, which appears to have successfully contained Ebola.
As concerns spread over U.S. hospital readiness, there are some lessons to be learned from Nigeria, where officials managed to get ahead of the fast-moving virus after it was brought into Africa's most populous country by an Ebola-infected man who'd flown into Lagos. This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the outbreak could be coming to an end in Nigeria, with no new Ebola cases since Aug. 31.
As in the U.S. case, Ebola arrived in Nigeria by passenger plane. But unlike Thomas Eric Duncan — who arrived in Dallas before he became symptomatic and was therefore not contagious during his flights from Liberia to Texas through Brussels and Dulles International Airport — Patrick Sawyer was already symptomatic when he landed in Lagos on July 20. At that point, Sawyer, Nigeria's Patient Zero, was contagious and dying.
It was a nightmare scenario with the potential to spiral out of control, given the bustling city of Lagos, Africa's largest, is a major transportation hub. As Sawyer was placed in isolation, public health officials had to track down every single person who'd come into contact with him, from the flights he'd boarded to the Lagos airport and the private hospital where he went after landing. And they had to do so quickly, making the process known as contract tracing a priority.
"In the whole system approach in beating the war on Ebola, contact tracing is the key public health activity that needs to be done," said Gavin MacGregor-Skinner, who helped with the Ebola response in Nigeria with the Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation. "The key is to find all the people that patient had direct close contact with."
From that single patient came a list of 281 people, MacGregor-Skinner said. Every one of those individuals had to provide health authorities twice-a-day updates about their well-being, often through methods like text-messaging. Anyone who didn't feel well or failed to respond was checked on, either through a neighborhood network or health workers.
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God blessing us through Good luck


In Jesus Name

It's great to hear that Nigeria is now setting standard for others to follow.

The best is yet to come.

Nigeria..~Giant of Africa

Kudos to president Goodluck Jonathan,Kudos to prof.Nebo(health minister) and kudos to the federal and Lagos state health team.

The Conservative talk circuit is demanding to close down all flights to America from all of Africa. They don't understand why they have not done so yet. Most Americans are ignorant that Africans spend billions on traveling to Yankee every year.
This also comes at a time when Diasporans are spending millions of dollars developing back home and bring American partners with them.
Anybody trying to tarnish Nigeria's image will fail! Nigeria is on it's way up and nothing can stop it!

Its quite unfortunate that accomplishments like this is never applauded in our dear fatherland. We have barely over 4 comments to this laudable achievement. We are so attracted to negative stories painting the country black. I wonder the number of comments we would have if this was about pseudo boko haram success. Let us try to always acknowledge the good side of our country and poise ourselves to make Nigeria a greater nation.

Nigeria will always be our home regardless of whatever citizenship we have obtained. Thanks to the active action taken by both the Federal and state Govt and the citizens of Lagos state. You have made us proud !

Anytime I read this story I always feel like running out and shout "Im pround to be a Nigerian". The thing is feeling like when we beat Brasil in one olympic and when Nigerian Eaglet came back from 4 goals down to beat their counterpart(that was a record too!!!)

I'm indeed proud to be a nigerian today. After every football match, both players from the winning and losing side do hug and shake themselves, same things for the coaches and even their respective fans. Big lesson for Nigerian political gladiators. Let's begin to cultivate the spirit of true sportsmanship. Play politics without bitterness and congratulate those who deserve to be congratulated.

Before I forget, 3 gbossa to Oga Gej, Fash and the others

AustineE1:
Kudos to president Goodluck Jonathan,Kudos to prof.Nebo(health minister) and kudos to the federal and Lagos state health team.

prof. Chukwu, not Nebo...

Wow! Pretty cool.

God bless Nigeria

CyberWolf:
prof. Chukwu, not Nebo...

thanks,noted!

AustineE1:

thanks,noted!

welcm

wetin concern me

this salah ram be like

this is a very good news to me,i have always look foward to see a thing that nigeria does better than the other countries in the world

wazoboy:
Anytime I read this story I always feel like running out and shout "Im pround to be a Nigerian". The thing is feeling like when we beat Brasil in one olympic and when Nigerian Eaglet came back from 4 goals down to beat their counterpart(that was a record too!!!)

Oh yes, I am PROUND too, pround of you and PROUNDLY Nigerian

Inspite of all our challenges as a nation we are definitely heading to greatness!

Kudos to us all, agencies, health workers, state and FG that made it possible

Proud to be a nigerian.

AustineE1:
Kudos to president Goodluck Jonathan,Kudos to prof.Nebo(health minister) and kudos to the federal and Lagos state health team.

Sorry Had nothing to do with GEJ, more the efforts of the health minister and BRF administration

Nigeria Great country, great people.

Even the world knows this, it is only our so called political leaders that are the real enemy of progress we have. But we will surly get it right.

BlackTechnology:
God blessing us through Good luck


In Jesus Name

na goodluck dey lagos abi?
Na im give instruction on how to curb 'em, abi?
Na goodluck start ebola centre abi?
U be mumu without a thinking faculty..
I'm sorry o, but true

AustineE1:
Kudos to president Goodluck Jonathan,Kudos to prof.Nebo(health minister) and kudos to the federal and Lagos state health team.

Na you dash Prof Nebo Health Minister ba ?!

pheyikemi:
Oh yes, I am PROUND too, pround of you and PROUNDLY Nigerian

Hahaha ur Wickidt