August 8, 2014 – The Federal Government has confirmed that it has sealed up one of the hospitals belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Muri-Okunola, Victoria Island, Lagos over suspected case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) .
Minister for Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu who confirmed the incident after a courtesy call on the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola said officials of the ministry are still investigating the incident of suspected Ebola patient in the hospital. He said the result carried out on blood samples obtained from the patient will be out by tomorrow but that the place remained shut for decontamination.
We gathered that the Nigerian Nurse who died of Ebola, visited the hospital. The minister however said the hospital will be opened once sanitization is complete in line with world standard and that it will be handled the way First Consultant Hospital was handled.
The minister who visited the governor along with Minister for Information, Mr. Labaran Maku appealed to Nigerians who are not medical staff to desist from wearing hand gloves.
“Don’t wear gloves because it is counterproductive, unless all of us are wearing gloves, if I am wearing and you are not wearing , you only collecting from me and you will take it home from me and your children at home will get it”, he warned.
He said that government has decided to step up operations in the border posts by procuring more thermal hand scanners for the 49 land crossing, eight seaports and eight international airports.
He appealed to Nigerians to cultivate the habit of regular hand washing, adding that where there is no water, Nigerians should use hand sanitizers and where there is no soap, use water and bleach.
He said the Federal Government is working with the state government in line with international organisations adding that the Lagos State government has been able to provide site for treatment.
“We are now treating patients”, he said adding that screening is currently ongoing around the nation’s borders.
He said Nigerians who have corpses with full certification of death of causes of death could apply for waivers which he said will be granted once the corpse is certified to have died of causes other than Ebola.
