News: FG Declares National Emergency (Ebola Scare)

FG declares national emergency

Posted by: Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja in Featured, News 6 days ago

Nigeria’s  war on Ebola moved a notch higher  yesterday.

President Goodluck Jonathan proclaimed   a national emergency to  control and contain  the spread of the  virus which has already claimed the life of a Nigerian.

One hundred and thirty-nine other Nigerians across the country are under surveillance.

A sum of N1.9billion is being released under  a Special Intervention Plan to  strengthen the anti-Ebola campaign.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, told State House correspondents that the funds will be used for 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 had met stakeholders at the State House on the Ebola threat.

The  Federal Ministry of Health is  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.”

President Jonathan urged that the movement of corpses from one community to the other and from overseas into the country be stopped forthwith.

 “Every death should be reported to the relevant authorities, and special precautions should be taken in handling corpses,” Abati said while religious and political groups, spiritual healing centres, families, associations and other bodies  were asked to discourage gatherings and activities that may unwittingly promote close contact with infected persons or place others at risk for the meantime.

Similarly, President Jonathan pleaded with  state governments and private day care, nursery, primary and secondary school 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.”

Public enlightenment agencies, including privately-owned media organs,  were told to “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.”

The public was advised 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.

He also applauded the good work of health authorities at both state and federal levels who traced persons who had contact with late Patrick Sawyer, isolated  other identified cases and embarked on massive public enlightenment.

Abati said: “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.

“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 travellers at all the nation’s borders.

“Medical workers and other health professionals are expected to regard this declaration of a national emergency as a patriotic call to duty and service,” he stated.

 At the stakeholders’ meeting were Vice President  Namadi Sambo; Minister of State for Health  Khaliru Alhassan; Petroleum Minister  Diezani Alison-Madueke; Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Foreign Affairs Minister of State II  Nurudeen Mohammed and  Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry.