August 03, 2014
PRESS STATEMENT
EBOLA OUTBREAK: A TEN-POINT CALL-TO-ACTION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF
NIGERIA
Ebola Virus
Disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe and
highly fatal illness in humans. Currently, there is no known cure for the
disease. However, early diagnosis and prompt access to supportive care offer
the best hope of survival among infected individuals and limits the risk of
further spread. More than 700 people
have been killed in the ongoing outbreak across West Africa, including an
American Citizen, Patrick Sawyer, who recently died in Lagos. It is a
regrettable fact that the Nigerian health system currently has limited capacity
to handle a disastrous epidemic of such a humongous magnitude as Ebola might
bring.
HAPPYNigeria recognises
and commends the efforts being made by the government to halt spread of the
virus both within the country and across West Africa.
We hereby issue in good faith the following ten-point call-to-action to sustain and enhance the preventive measures already being taken by the Nigerian government:
We hereby issue in good faith the following ten-point call-to-action to sustain and enhance the preventive measures already being taken by the Nigerian government:
1.
Assemble an Ebola task force
comprising of scientists (epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, infectious
disease physicians, etc), public officials, and civil society leaders to put
together and implement an immediate national response plan. This task force
should work hand-in-hand with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
and the Federal Ministry of Health.
2.
Continue the national public
health campaign to sensitise health workers and the general public on signs and
symptoms of the disease and appropriate actions in suspected cases.
3.
Issue travel alerts for
Nigerians regarding travel to countries with burgeoning outbreaks.
4.
Establish a monitoring system
for Nigerians living in the worst affected countries and establish an
evacuation and quarantine plan.
5.
Conduct a rigorous contact
tracing and thorough investigation on people that came in contact with the Late
Patrick Sawyer. Do the same for the unnamed Nigerian whose corpse was returned
from Liberia and placed in a morgue in Nigeria in July 2014, and also ascertain
a definitive cause of death in this case.
6.
Resolve, without further delay,
the ongoing impasse with doctors to ensure a viable health workforce that can
combat any eventualities.
7.
Address, as an emergency, the
deficient infection control policies, infrastructure, and processes in Nigerian
health facilities.
8.
Heighten border control and
disease surveillance at our land borders, most importantly the Lagos-Seme
border, and at all international airports in the country.
9.
Call an ECOWAS regional health
summit to develop an aggressive regional response, including a temporary
suspension of the ECOWAS treaty on free movement of persons until the epidemic
is stemmed.
10.
Strengthen the national disease
surveillance and epidemic response system in Nigeria.
Signed:
Dr. Charles Chima, MPH, DrPH Dr. Femi Akinwumi
Global Health
Advisor Executive Director
Dr Chima is a global health expert with
multinational experience in disease prevention and health management.
Dr Akinwumi is a community health physician
with extensive experience in health intervention and advocacy.
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