The Nigerian authorities has mentioned there may be presently no want to limit large gatherings following the affirmation of an imported Ebola case within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, mentioned this on Thursday throughout a ministerial press briefing in Abuja, including that any choice to introduce restrictions can be based mostly on public well being proof and knowledgeable recommendation.
“At this moment there is no indication that requires us to alter the course of large gatherings that have been planned,” Mr Pate mentioned.
“But if the situation changes, we would decide; we would consult broadly with the right experts and make that determination.”
He urged Nigerians to stay calm, saying the federal government’s response can be guided by proof slightly than political issues.
“So Nigerians should be assured that whatever the public health community will come out with will be based on good evidence. At this moment we have not indicated that,” he mentioned.
Patient recovering
Mr Pate additionally mentioned the girl on the centre of Nigeria’s first confirmed case is recovering and that laboratory outcomes have been displaying enchancment.
He mentioned he had spoken with the clinicians treating her and there’s a chance that she would recuperate from the illness.
“We cannot hold our breath. We have to continue to pray and work hard to ensure that she survives it,” he mentioned.
The minister reiterated that the case was imported based mostly on the affected person’s journey historical past and that she was asymptomatic when she arrived in Nigeria.
According to him, she developed signs a number of days after arrival, after which she sought medical consideration.
The authorities has traced individuals who had contact along with her within the hospital, at house and at a personal clinic she visited. The contacts have been categorised by threat stage.
Mr Pate mentioned high-risk contacts had been quarantined in a facility, whereas others had been remoted and have been being monitored consistent with public well being pointers.
Response expanded
The minister mentioned the federal government had activated its incident administration system, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) main the operational response in coordination with the FCT authorities.
He mentioned all state governments had been knowledgeable and that almost all states already had response plans developed with steerage from the NCDC.
He mentioned states which have but to finish their plans have been directed to take action shortly.
The authorities has additionally mobilised extra sources for the response, together with funding from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCF) and extra sources launched to the NCDC by President Bola Tinubu.
Mr Pate mentioned the federal government was additionally working with growth and technical companions, together with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
He mentioned consultants who had supported Ebola responses in different international locations, together with Kenya, have additionally arrived in Nigeria to strengthen the response.
Mr Pate mentioned Christian Happi, a virologist and director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Redeemer’s University, has been introduced into the response to enhance the work of the NCDC.
“This is to let Nigerians know that the capabilities are in the country, and the investments that have been made to get us here are bearing fruit,” he mentioned.
‘Do not politicise Ebola’
The minister additionally criticised makes an attempt to politicise the Ebola response, urging political leaders and the media to deal with the scenario as a public well being situation.
“We certainly would encourage them not to politicise a humanitarian and public health issue,” he mentioned.
Mr Pate mentioned any selections on restrictions or different measures can be based mostly solely on scientific proof and what was thought-about in the perfect pursuits of Nigerians.
He additionally warned towards misinformation in regards to the confirmed case, saying the affected person had examined optimistic for Ebola 3 times.
He mentioned the federal government couldn’t launch the affected person’s take a look at outcomes publicly due to medical confidentiality.
The minister urged Nigerians to rely on data from trusted public well being authorities and warned that misinformation might undermine efforts to include the illness.
“The alternative to trusting the expert is a tragedy,” he mentioned.
Border surveillance strengthened
Mr Pate mentioned Nigeria had maintained enhanced surveillance at factors of entry for the previous 5 months following the worsening Ebola scenario within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
He mentioned greater than 14,000 travellers had entered Nigeria through the interval and that the federal government was strengthening port well being capability, together with thermal imaging and risk-based evaluation of travellers from affected international locations.
He mentioned the federal government would proceed to observe the scenario and regulate its suggestions if the proof modifications.
For now, he urged Nigerians to look at fundamental preventive measures, together with common hand washing, avoiding pointless contact with bodily fluids, and promptly reporting signs similar to fever, headache, and muscle aches, notably if they’ve related journey historical past.
He additionally urged folks recognized by contact tracing to adjust to isolation and quarantine measures.
“We are assuring Nigerians that we can be able to deal with it, but to do that we need the cooperation of Nigerians to follow expert advice,” Mr Pate mentioned.
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