President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday declared that the control and containment of the Ebola virus in Nigeria is a National Emergency.
The President after an emergency meeting with stakeholders in Abuja also approved the immediate release of N1. 9 billion for a Special Intervention Plan to further strengthen on-going steps to contain the virus.
Briefing State House correspondents, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that the fund 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.
He said: โAccordingly, 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.โ
โPresident 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.โ
โThe 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.โ
The President, he said, also enjoined 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.
On movement of corpses, he said: โPresident 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.โ
He also urgeed religious and political groups, spiritual healing centres, families, associations and other bodies to discourage gatherings and activities that may unwittingly promote close contact with infected persons or place others at risk for the meantime.
On delay of schools resumption from holiday, he said
โPresident Jonathan appeals to State governments and private daycare, 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.โ
Among those who attended the closed door meeting are Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Minister of State for Health, Khaliru Alhassan, and Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Others at the meeting are Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Foreign Affairs Minister of State II, Nurudeen Mohammed, Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry.
