Ebola Saga:Don't Visit Liberia, Sierra-Leone And Guinea–FG Warns Nigerians

Source: pointblanknews.com

The Federal Government has warned Nigerians to stop visiting Liberia,

Sierra-Leone and Guinea because the three countries remain on danger list

over the ravaging Ebola virus.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Khaliru Al-Hassan who visited Kano,

northern Nigeria to rob minds with government authorities and traditional

rulers on how to curtail spread of dangerous diseases also declared that

the Federal Government has banned movement of dead bodies from within and

outside the country as part of measures to avoid the spread of the Ebola

Virus.
Al-Hassan who was in Kano during the third meeting of Northern Traditional

Leaders on Primary Health-Care said that transfer of dead bodies remain a

threat in the spread of the deadly virus.
His words, œhenceforth, dead bodies would not be allowed to be

transferred from one part of the country to another. Wherever the dead

died they should be buried there. We have suspended bringing corpses from

outside the country, particularly these three countries”Liberia,

Sierra-Leone and Guinea.
œThe dead in these three countries should be buried there; and we will

not allow anybody to come regardless of his position. We have directed the

appropriate authorities to ensure that this is not done; therefore, we

want to appeal to people for their understanding. We are not here to

politicize. Ebola is not a political disease.
According to him, the Ebola outbreak remain a sad situation for Nigeria

and Africa, at large, noting that, œsadly, an American-Liberian brought

it into our country. This is very sad, but it is too late now, it has

happened, we just have to rise up to the occasion. I will like to assure

the entire public that the Federal Government is up and doing. The

situation is under control.
We have instituted a lot of measures to ensure that it does not spread any

further. We are working tirelessly with our partners”WHO, USAID and all

other international organs. We are doing the best. With our international

partners to contend the outbreak; and we want to dispel all the rumours

that are going round that Ebola is seen in other parts of the country. So

far, Ebola is only limited to Lagos and; already all the suspected cases

and those who are about to be positive”and the confirmed cases are under

strict control; they are under insulation with all the international

standards being observed”and other contacts are being monitored.

œAs we are talking now, we have about 139 people less than 24 hours

strict watch for any tempting sings of this disease. Those who are

confirmed are under strict control measures; and we have instituted a lot

of measures to ensure that it does not get out of Lagos state. So, we want

to appeal to people to be calm and not being apprehensive. People have

been receiving false text messages that salt”if you either take it or

wash yourself can cure, let me say it again, we have stated it before that

Ebola has no known cure at present because the Americans”the drug they

are using is a test-drug”it has not been proven to be effective”and it

has always been on animals.
œIt has never been tested on human beings, except the first two American

victims who are now in their custody. So, there no known cure; and taking

salt will be dangerous to your health because it can raise your blood

pressure. For those who already have hypertension, that will like adding

petrol to fire. So, we want to caution people to stop taking anything that

have not been certified medically. Presently, a very high-powered team has

been constituted specifically to look into any possible drug that may have

cure from this virus. Presently, they have already swung into action. The

bitter kola is also a rumour, so, people should not go out of their way to

injure their health.
He also appealed to the government and people of Kano state to also

disperse the rumour bathing with salt and chewing bitter Kola, adding

that, œwe have advocated that people should be very careful about their

personal hygiene. Of course, we know we are very good travelers as

Nigerians”and we have been advocating for people to be very careful

travelling into countries like Liberia, Sierra-Leone and Guinea.

œThese are all now under strict ban”and Kano-based business men should

be careful where they go for their businesses; because it does not worth

it to get rich and but at the same time to bring in Ebola. So, people

should be careful, and they should continue to live their lives normally.

An Ebola victim is not dangerous to the general public.

œAn Ebola patient is more dangerous to the health workers because they

are the point people. When an Ebola patient is sick, they either stay at

home or go to the hospital, so I want to appeal all our health workers

that it is no more business as usual consulting in our clinics. We shall

institute a very high standard of practice. I appeal to all our

institutions”the Teaching Hospitals, the Federal Medical Centres to

institute immediately, as a matter of urgency infection control

committees”for those who doesn™t have it, they must place an order

immediately, to institute infection control emergency in their

hospitals.
 
 
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