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LequteMan
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The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has raised alarm on the ill-preparedness of some states in the fight to curb the deadly Ebola Virus Disease.
At the end of its National Executive Council Meeting held in Awka, Anambra, issued a communique calling on the federal government to police the nation’s borders and ports to avert further spread of the disease, the Nation says.
“Here in Nigeria, EVD was imported into the country by the late Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American, who travelled by air from Liberia to Lagos on July 20, 2014. He was admitted to a Lagos hospital immediately on arrival, and died five days later. Since then, there has been subsequent local transmission (including cases in healthcare workers), and to-date, Nigeria has recorded 15 confirmed cases of EVD, out of which four have died (with a case fatality of 27 per cent) while eight are currently under treatment.
“The importation of EVD to Nigeria clearly demonstrated that we are very prone and more at risk in this Ebola virus as a nation that is opened to several diplomatic and international travels. Consequently, concerted efforts are required from all and sundry to possibly contain this epidemic and save the over 170 million Nigerians from the risk of being exposed to this deadly disease.
“NEC stressed the need for all to be on the alert as a result of the danger posed by Ebola and called on the Federal Government to police the nation’s borders and ports to avert further spread of the disease.
“NEC commended the efforts of the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government so far in containing the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, and attempts at establishing isolation centres in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, it was observed that the essential structures and framework for containing the outbreak on a national scale are yet to be in place, particularly at the state and local government levels. NEC therefore calls on Federal Government to take a step further in ensuring the creation of functional EVD control committees at all levels of government.” the communique said in part.
#Ebola #NMA #Nigeria
At the end of its National Executive Council Meeting held in Awka, Anambra, issued a communique calling on the federal government to police the nation’s borders and ports to avert further spread of the disease, the Nation says.
“Here in Nigeria, EVD was imported into the country by the late Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American, who travelled by air from Liberia to Lagos on July 20, 2014. He was admitted to a Lagos hospital immediately on arrival, and died five days later. Since then, there has been subsequent local transmission (including cases in healthcare workers), and to-date, Nigeria has recorded 15 confirmed cases of EVD, out of which four have died (with a case fatality of 27 per cent) while eight are currently under treatment.
“The importation of EVD to Nigeria clearly demonstrated that we are very prone and more at risk in this Ebola virus as a nation that is opened to several diplomatic and international travels. Consequently, concerted efforts are required from all and sundry to possibly contain this epidemic and save the over 170 million Nigerians from the risk of being exposed to this deadly disease.
“NEC stressed the need for all to be on the alert as a result of the danger posed by Ebola and called on the Federal Government to police the nation’s borders and ports to avert further spread of the disease.
“NEC commended the efforts of the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government so far in containing the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, and attempts at establishing isolation centres in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, it was observed that the essential structures and framework for containing the outbreak on a national scale are yet to be in place, particularly at the state and local government levels. NEC therefore calls on Federal Government to take a step further in ensuring the creation of functional EVD control committees at all levels of government.” the communique said in part.
#Ebola #NMA #Nigeria
