As
the dreaded Ebola virus disease bites harder, the Nigerian Medical
Association on Tuesday called on the Edo State Government to beef up its
proactive measures towards forestalling any possible outbreak of the
disease in the state by setting up quarantine centres across the state.
The state Chairman of the associaion, Professor Afekhide Omoti, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, lamented the fact that the state government was yet to set up isolation centres in the local government areas and a committee to prevent and manage any spread of the virus to the state.
Professor Omoti stated that the claim that the state had a designated Ebola diagnostic centre in Irrua in Esan Central local government area was untrue.
The state NMA chief disclosed that the association, on its part, had already set up an Ebola Response Committees and called for medical volunteers, adding that such a committee had also been set up in the federal medical centres across the state.
He, therefore, urged the state government to demonstrate its resolve to forestall an outbreak and treat any person infected.
“The government should immediately inaugurate an Ebola Response Committee and designate centres in every major town in the state where we can isolate any person we find with this condition.
“The centre in Irrua is for testing for Lassa fever but there is a propaganda that Irrua has the facility to handle Ebola virus, which is not true.
“The people who say so have never been to Irrua because the people who work there know that there is no facility for that purpose,” Omoti stressed.
He, however, said that the NMA, despite its strike, would partner with the government to tackle the disease, in the area of treatment and prevention, on the condition that the necessary kits and health insurance were made available to protect the health workers, as stipulated by the national body of the NMA.
“We can provide the public enlightenment, which cannot cost us our lives.
“But you cannot tell me to treat infected victims wearing only my clothes; I will need that kits, which the government ought to provide.
“The life of the health workers invloved should also be insured because treating an Ebola victim could be suicidal.
“If the kits and insurance are not provided, we will stop at the level of public enlightenment.
“Both the state and federal governments must collaborate to ensure that everything is centrally coordinated for the benefit of everybody,” he said.
The state Chairman of the associaion, Professor Afekhide Omoti, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, lamented the fact that the state government was yet to set up isolation centres in the local government areas and a committee to prevent and manage any spread of the virus to the state.
Professor Omoti stated that the claim that the state had a designated Ebola diagnostic centre in Irrua in Esan Central local government area was untrue.
The state NMA chief disclosed that the association, on its part, had already set up an Ebola Response Committees and called for medical volunteers, adding that such a committee had also been set up in the federal medical centres across the state.
He, therefore, urged the state government to demonstrate its resolve to forestall an outbreak and treat any person infected.
“The government should immediately inaugurate an Ebola Response Committee and designate centres in every major town in the state where we can isolate any person we find with this condition.
“The centre in Irrua is for testing for Lassa fever but there is a propaganda that Irrua has the facility to handle Ebola virus, which is not true.
“The people who say so have never been to Irrua because the people who work there know that there is no facility for that purpose,” Omoti stressed.
He, however, said that the NMA, despite its strike, would partner with the government to tackle the disease, in the area of treatment and prevention, on the condition that the necessary kits and health insurance were made available to protect the health workers, as stipulated by the national body of the NMA.
“We can provide the public enlightenment, which cannot cost us our lives.
“But you cannot tell me to treat infected victims wearing only my clothes; I will need that kits, which the government ought to provide.
“The life of the health workers invloved should also be insured because treating an Ebola victim could be suicidal.
“If the kits and insurance are not provided, we will stop at the level of public enlightenment.
“Both the state and federal governments must collaborate to ensure that everything is centrally coordinated for the benefit of everybody,” he said.
He is very correct
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