Ebola: Stop politicising serious health issues, APC PCC tells Atiku

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC) has cautioned the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, to refrain from seeking political capital from the outbreak of Ebola disease and the present administration’s response to it.

The spokesperson of the APC-PCC, Dele Alake, gave the admonition in a statement on Thursday night.

His response was on the heels of a statement by Atiku’s media aide, Phrank Shaibu, which challenged President Tinubu to account for the ₦10 billion fund earmarked last June as an emergency fund to curtail the spread of the virus. The ADC presidential candidate also claimed that the confirmed case in Abuja exposed serious gaps in surveillance and the protection of health workers.

He further claimed “that patient arrived in Nigeria on October 5, developed symptoms on October 7 and sought treatment at a private hospital on October 11, but the government did not publicly confirm the case until October 20.”

The APC-PCC, however, picked holes in the allegations raised by the former Vice President.

The statement clarified that the ₦10 billion the President approved for the Ebola emergency in June remains untouched, as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other agencies involved in surveillance have been spending other available resources.

On the claims of serious gaps involving health workers, Alake submitted that, for anyone infected with the virus, the incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing 8 to 10 days after exposure.

Alake stressed that “this is why it took the infected woman some days before reporting to the hospital, where several tests showed that the person had Ebola.”

The statement further advised the ADC presidential candidate and his media handlers to stop rumour-mongering and allow the task force assigned for the containment of the disease to perform its assignment.

The statement read:” Alhaji Atiku Abubakar continues to foul up the political arena, with statement after statement dripping with insult and disrespect to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“A statement credited to the former vice president on the latest public health issue opened with a title linking the President’s first name to Ebola and questioning how the Presidential Task Force spent the N10 billion approved for the emergency.

“We believe linking and rhyming President Bola Tinubu’s name to Ebola only risks turning a serious health concern into a vehicle to ridicule the President of the Federal Republic.

“The statement showed patent ignorance about the virus and why the traveller from Uganda was not detected on arrival at the Abuja airport.

“For anyone infected with the virus, the incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing 8 to 10 days after exposure. An infected person cannot spread or transmit Ebola to others until they actively develop symptoms.

“This is why it took the infected woman some days before reporting to the hospital, where several tests showed that the person had Ebola.

“On accountability, the Atiku camp should note that the N10 billion the President approved for the Ebola emergency in June remains untouched, as the NCDC, FAAN, and other agencies involved in surveillance have been spending other available resources.

“The agencies deserve applause for mounting a robust surveillance at entry points to avert Ebola spread whenever it lands on our shores.

“This surveillance network tipped off the government about the index case and led to contact tracing of the patient’s 44 contacts.

“A responsible opposition will applaud the Task Force for being responsive. But the Atiku camp always goes for cheap shots at the government.

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“In this vein, we consider his allegation that a ministerial briefing is intended to discourage attendance at campaign rallies or voting speculative. Vice President Atiku cannot make such a serious allegation without verifiable evidence, especially in the thick of electioneering. In any way, the press conference did not raise this issue, except to appeal to the public to comply with the Task Force’s announced protocol.

“We advise Atiku Abubakar and his hirelings to avoid politicising public health issues. A time like this demands that all Nigerians, including the opposition, rally around the health authorities and professionals, communicate responsibly, avoid rumour-mongering, and follow the protocols advised by the Task Force to ensure Ebola does not become a national epidemic.

“Nigerians deserve, first of all, protection from the deadly disease. “