Following the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, to Rivers State leading to the death of one person, infection of one and isolation of 200 others, many states have declared total war against the dreaded and deadly disease.
According to Vanguard checks, a host of them have mapped out measures to prevent the disease from spreading and what to do if it happens. The measures include creating isolation and surveillance centres, raising emergency teams, procuring equipment, manning borders and creating awareness committees.
Yobe raises 12-man c’ttee
In Yobe, the state government has constituted a 12-man committee. Governor Ibrahim Gaidam charged the committee headed by the Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Idi Gubana to map out modalities to check the spread of the disease, and measures for enlightening Yobe people on how to keep their environment clean.
Oyo creates isolation ward at UCH
In Oyo, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has created an isolation ward at the University College Hospital, UCH to treat any reported case.
Also, a 24-hour monitoring and tracking of suspected cases in all the 33 local councils of the state has been intensified, according to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin.
Ogun creates isolation centres, trains workers, procures equipment
In a bid to prevent the outbreak of Ebola in Ogun State, the state government said it has put in place some preventive measures.
According to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, three isolation centres have been established in the three senatorial districts of the state and there are plans to establish isolation centres in all the 20 local councils of the state.
We’re battle ready —Kogi Govt.
Amid comments by a non-governmental organisation, the Initiative for Grass-roots Advancement, INGRA, that there are gaps in governments’ preparations and in our health system, the Kogi State government has said that it is ready and prepared to tackle any occurrence of the disease in the state.
INGRA Executive Director, Hamza Aliyu specifically questioned the Kogi State government: “How much have been released for procurement of safety health kits for health workers? What trainings have been organised for health workers on early diagnosis of the disease? What insurance policy are in place for health workers who will bear the brunt of the infection? What laws have been put in place to ensure proper handling of deceased patients?”
Responding to these questions, the state government said it has established an Emergency Rapid Response Team to curtail any occurrence of the disease in the state. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Idris Omede said the committee is to ensure that the state is not affected by the disease.
Bayelsa trains health workers, creates 103 surveillance centres
Bayelsa State government has urged the people of the state not to panic as proactive measures have been put in place to check the spread of the disease.
Governor Dickson, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, anchored the appeal for calm on the proximity of Bayelsa to Rivers State, coupled with the fact that the people of the two states share a common historical and cultural heritage.
Dickson said distribution of protective materials such as sanitizers, body gears, hand gloves were on-going and major isolation centres have already been set up at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, and the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa as well as other smaller units across the state for the containment of the virus.
Cross River raises border monitoring team
RUMOURS on social media about the presence of an Ebola patient at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, last Thursday sent jitters into the hearts of many residents of the city.
According to the rumour, an Ebola victim from Port Harcourt was spotted in Calabar and was immediately rushed to UCTH for treatment and that the patient was abandoned by medical doctors for fear of being infected while other medical workers hurriedly closed offices.
Speaking on rumour, UCTH Chief Medical Director, CMD, Dr. Thomas Agan, stated that “there is no case of Ebola in Calabar, even at that, UCTH had just concluded training of staff on how to handle Ebola out-break in the state.
In like manner, the Cross River Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mrs. Angela Eyo-Ita, said the state has taken pre-emptive measures to combat the deadly virus by posting officials of the ministry to man border posts in the state including sea port and airport.
Jigawa inaugurates prevention committee
To boost the war against Ebola, Jigawa State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tafida Abubakar, said the government has inaugurated prevention committees in the nine Gunduma health system councils across the 27 local government areas of the state.
He explained that the committees have been charged with sensitising all health workers in their domain and enlightening the general public about the Ebola Virus and they are to work with chairmen of the local councils in their domain and report developments to the state ministry of health.
Plateau gets inter-ministerial team
The Plateau State government has said it is ready to combat the virus as it has put in place an inter-ministerial committee to synergise on intensive awareness and timely medical care in case of any out-break of the EVD and trained health workers in the 17 local government areas of the state.
Confirming the state’s preparedness, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Fom Dakwak told Vanguard that what is necessary is being done to educate the citizens on the nature of the virus.
Ondo embarks on aggressive awareness
Ondo State Ministry of Health has organised a sensitisation workshop for public health practitioners and aggressive awareness to sensitise the people on the causes, mode of transmission and preventive measures against the virus.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju,who made the disclosure, urged health workers to be vigilant and apply standard prevention measures consistently.
According to him, the state has selected three well-equipped centres in the three Senatorial Districts namely: The Federal Medical Centre, Owo, State Specialist Hospital, Akure and the General Hospital, Okitipupa to curtail any occurrence of the deadly disease.
Delta intensifies surveillance at Asaba International Airport
In Delta, the government called for absolute vigilance and intensified surveillance at the Asaba International Airport.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, while commenting on the out-break of Ebola in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said he would leave no stone unturned to ensure total safety of residents in the state adding that he has set seven isolation centres.
Addressing newsmen in Asaba sometime ago, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara named the hospitals designated as referral and special care centres as follows: Warri Central hospital, Ughelli Central hospital, Sapele Central hospital, Agbor Central Hospital, Oleh Central Hospital, Eku Baptist Government hospital and Delta State University Teaching hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara.
Ekiti raises ministerial c’ttee
In like manner, the Ekiti State government has set up a 30-man multi-ministerial committee, according to the Commissioner for Health, Professor Olusola Fasubaa, who disclosed that selected hospital wards in three General hospitals spread across the three senatorial districts of the state at Ode, Ifaki and Okemesi have been identified and set aside as case management centres to handle cases of possible spread of the disease in the state.
Abia establishes isolation centres
In Abia, the government has designated five places to treatment and management of Ebola cases. They are located in Aba, Ohafia, Umuahia, Uzuakoli and Ukwa West.
Besides, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ogechukwu Ogah has organised training for some health personnel in the state on how to avoid and manage the virus. He has also held meetings with morticians on the need to demand death certificates before keeping any corpse in their mortuaries.
Adamawa equip six hospitals
To combat Ebola in Adamawa, the Commissioner for Health, Mr. Felix Tangwami, told Vanguard that two hospitals in each of the three senatorial districts have been equipped and trained medical personnel have been assigned to man them.
Benue bans conveyance of corpses
As part of efforts to check the spread of EVD, the Benue state government has placed a ban on the conveyance of corpses and movement of same into the state from any part of the country.
Two isolation wards have also been designated at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Makurdi and the Benue State University Teaching Hospitals, BSUTH, for the treatment of infected persons in the state.
The Benue state Director of Public Health, Dr. Joseph Kumba who spoke on behalf of the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Orduen Abunku, made this known yesterday in a telephone interview with Vanguard in Makurdi, the state capital, adding that medical personnel had also been employed by the state to man the centres.
Edo includes road transport union in committee
In Edo State, the has included the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the Ebola Rapid Response Committee it set up last week.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Louis Odion who disclosed this weekend, said since the state is a gateway to the North and the South East, there was need to include the road transport union so as to be watchful of the passengers that come into the state and those that pass through.
Osun gets inter-ministerial team, 4 centres
On the same score, the Osun State government has set up an inter-ministerial committee comprising the ministries of health, environment, water resources, culture and tourism, information, women and children affairs to prevent the spread of EVD in the state.
The committee, according to the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Sunday Akere is to embark on the sensitisation of the people of the state on the need to ensure a clean environment and to promptly report any trace of Ebola case to the government.
44 councils partner with monarchs in Kano
In Kano, the 44 local councils have entered into partnership with traditional rulers and health workers in the state to effectively counter the spread of EVD and create more awareness on the danger of the disease.
The chairman, Kano Chapter, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Alhaji Sule Garo stated that to further strengthen the synergy with the state government, all the 44 local governments in the state had perfected plan to do cluster-to-cluster awareness creation campaigns on the dangers of the disease.
-Vanguard
