President Goodluck Jonathan Monday described late Patrick Sawyer actions as pure ‘madness’ and craziness.
Jonathan
made the statement at the annual Interfaith Conference in Abuja. The
president who expressed his disappointment with the way and manner
Sawyer brought Ebola to Nigeria assured citizens that government is
ready to stop the disease.
“As a government, we promise that we will do everything humanly possible to contain the Ebola virus.
Jonathan
informed the gathering that the federal government planned to rally the
36 states governors and their Commissioners of Health to rescue the
nation from further spread of the disease.
“On Wednesday, I will
meet with governor of the states, and they must come along with their
commissioners of Health. We must make sure that every state is prepared,
where they lack, the federal government will support them,”
The
president said that his discussion with the head of WHO has given him
more information about the virus assured the gathering that the virus
will be stopped from causing more harm.
“My conversation with the
WHO DG, Dr Margaret Chan was revealing, she said 60 per cent of the
transmission was spread during burials. That is why in my announcement,
I’ve been saying that people should be careful about burials.”
“Some
people like burial ceremonies. This is not the time for burial
ceremony, somebody is dead, he is dead, leave him there. This is not the
best time for those ceremonies.”
“If he is dead, he is already
dead, Sawyer that brought this Ebola to Nigeria; his sister died of
Ebola. And he started acting somehow, his country asked him not to leave
the country, let them observe him, but the crazy man decided to leave
and found his way here.”
Meanwhile, the federal government Monday said one new case was recorded over the weekend, bringing the number to 10.
Minister
of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu stated this Monday in a press
conference on the update of the Ebola Virus Disease(EVD).
Chukwu,
said “it has been 22 days since EVD first landed in Nigeria. As at
today, 177 primary and secondary contacts of the index case have been
placed under surveillance or isolation. 9 developed EVD, bringing the
total number of cases in Nigeria to 10. Of these 10, 2 have died (the
Liberian American and the Nigerian nurse) while 8 are alive and
currently on treatment.”
The minister alongside Minister of
Environment, Mrs Laurentia Mallam, Interior Minister, Abba Moro, Special
Duties Minister, Tanimu Turaki and Minister of Information, Labaran
Maku stated that “Nigeria wishes to emphasize that, it essentially
remained an Ebola Virus free country until this incidence of importation
and unfortunate contamination. We will continue to work with all
stakeholders, local and international partners to maximize on this and
intensify efforts to contain and treat the existing cases.”
Citing
efforts to stop the spread of the virus in the West African sub-region,
Chukwu said government role at the recent meeting in Accra, Ghana
projected Nigeria’s “leading, pioneering and compassionate role during
the summit with the first and only donation of 3.5Million USD
humanitarian and capacity building aid to the three affected countries
of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, the West African Health
Organization (WAHO), and the ECOWAS Ebola Fund.”
Chukwu said the
“Liberian Government has expressed its deepest sympathies and regrets
that Mr. Sawyer had even embarked on this tragic journey, which has
brought needless sufferings, death and has placed an unnecessary stress
on our health system. In the same spirit, we share in solidarity, the
grief of the governments and people of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone
as we confront this challenge together.”
The minister further
urged Nigerians not to see Liberia and her citizens in bad light
considering the harmonious relationship the two countries have had over
the years.
“The government of Nigeria, shall continue to discharge
its responsibilities within the sub region as we collectively confront
and stop this outbreak of Ebola.”
He however, told journalists
that aside from working with the US government on how to assist,
government was also looking at other options in terms of drugs that
could revive Ebola patients.
He said Nigeria’s quest to get hold
of drugs that will bring relief to Ebola patients is “still
work-in-progress” adding that, healthcare workers entrusted with
providing care to patients have been given Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) as measure to prevent them from contracting the virus.
Chukwu
who stated that the Ebola virus still remained restricted to Lagos
State also reiterated the resolve of the federal government to find a
solution to the lingering crisis between it and the Nigerian Medical
Association (NMA), especially the need to call off the nationwide
strike.
The minister was more optimistic that the crisis will be
settled soon, but maintained that “the NMA strike is not affecting the
treatment of Ebola patients.”
BY; VICTORIA OJEME
source Vanguard
Secular
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