The Federal
Government has called on Nigerians to disregard a message making the rounds
claiming there is a positive case of the Ebola Virus Disease in the country.
A statement
from the Federal Ministry of Health, quoted the Permanent Secretary, Mr
Abdullaziz Mashi Abdullahi, as saying the message was false, could cause harm
to innocent people, and create panic among citizens.
This comes
amid concerns about the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and
days after a scare in Kenya.
The World
Health Organisation (WHO) has said the DRC outbreak which has claimed more than
a 1,000 lives and spread to Uganda, killing two persons, is not a global health
emergency.
Although
Nigeria’s health ministry says there has been “heightened surveillance” at
points of entry in view of the outbreak in DRC, it stressed that there is no
cause for alarm.
‘’I can say
categorically that none of the patients screened has tested positive for Ebola
or any deadly disease,” Mr Abdullaziz Mashi Abdullahi was quoted as saying in
the statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Media and Public Relations,
Boade Akinola.
According to
Abdullahi, in line with WHO’s guidelines, a recent preliminary risk assessment
conducted by the Nigeria Ebola Preparedness team, coordinated by the Nigeria
Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) indicated that the overall risk of importation
of EVD to Nigeria from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda is low.
“But we are
not resting on our oars in view of trading activities of Nigerians,” he added.
He assured
Nigerians that the Nigerian Government remained fully committed, while working
closely with the WHO, state ministries of health, partners and all other stakeholders,
to protect the health them.
“Necessary
protocols are being followed in line with International Health Regulations,” he
said.
Nigeria had
battled Ebola in 2014, recording 20 cases and eight deaths after an infected
Liberian-American flew into the country.
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