Below is the State House press release...
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment