Nigeria has capacity to manage outbreak, warns against panic measures – FG

Mohamed Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, on Wednesday, assured Nigerians that the Federal Government has the capacity to contain the Ebola outbreak in the country, while warning against panic measures and spreading misinformation.

Federal Government had, on Tuesday, confirmed an imported case of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in Abuja.

On the back of the development, Pate met with Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats.

Recall that the President had in June, this year, inaugurated the committee, with an initial approval of N10 billion in emergency funding to boost surveillance, airport screening, and NCDC preparedness following Ebola resurgences in Africa.

Pate, while speaking with State House Journalists after meeting with Gbajabiamila, announced that the Nigeria’s Government is collaborating with Uganda on the Ebola case

“What is important is that we have found this one case. We are doing contact tracing, and we are putting containment measures to ensure that it doesn’t go into our population”, he said.

Pate assured Nigerians that the Federal Government has competent authorities to be able to deal with the outbreak, adding that ” We have done it in 2014, and we have good public health institutions.”

He however called for vigilance, rather than embarking on panicking measures.

“Nigerians should be reassured. We must be vigilant, but not panic, and people should respect public health information from trusted sources, and not spread misinformation and false rumors.

“We would be truthful to Nigerians with the information that we receive on a daily basis. I will be receiving a report. NCDC has an incident management system”, he noted.

He stated that “all relevant health personnel are working 24/7″, adding that” the task force is also active. So we have things in place that gives us confidence that Nigeria can weather through this public health crisis, which has taken five months without happening, and we have seen other countries also deal with it.

“So let’s not fall into a trap of hysteria or panic, it’s one case.

“It’s an imported case, and we are containing it. And we will continue to take measures. If the situation changes, we’ll come out and inform Nigerians”.

The Government confirmed that the patient, a woman, had traveled from Uganda and was admitted to Nizamiye Hospital, is currently in isolation.

The Government also announced that health authorities had identified contacts and were tracking 44 close contacts.

The development has led to widespread fear and anxiety, especially around the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The Government, however, urged Nigerians to observe proper health hygiene and avoid spreading misinformation.