Posted on: Thu 04-03-2021

The House of Representatives has warned of a second outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the country, urging the country’s health officials to embrace preventive measures. The House gave the warning on Wednesday in plenary, after adopting a motion on the subject, sponsored by Rep. Idem Unyime(Akwa Ibom-PDP). The motion is entitled: “Urgent Need to Create Immediate Public awareness to Combat Possible outbreak of Ebola Virus, and to take measures to avoid the same”. 

In his motion, Rep. Idem, who represents Ukansfun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, while presenting his motion, recalled that “Ebola Virus Disease (commonly known as “Ebola”) was reported and confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 25th March 2014 in West African Countries as a small part of the epidemic which originated in Guinea and represents the first outbreak of the disease globally. The suspected cases were soon reported in the neighbouring countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone”.

He said he was “Aware that the index case in Nigeria, was a Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, who flew from Liberia to Nigeria’s most populous city of Lagos on 20th July 2014. He was reported to be violently ill upon arriving at the airport and died five days later. In response, the Nigerian government observed all of Sawyer’s contacts for signs of infection and increased surveillance at all entry points to the country”. 

He noted that “on the 9th of October 2014, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) acknowledged Nigeria’s positive role in controlling the effort to contain the Ebola outbreak and praised the staff of the Ebola Emergency Centre who coordinated the management of cases, containment of outbreaks and treatment protocols in Nigeria”, adding that “the World Health Organisation declared the feat ‘a piece of world-class epidemiological detective work and spectacular success story” and Nigeria was officially declared Ebola-free on 20th October 2014 after no new active cases were reported in the follow-up contacts”. 

The lawmaker expressed sadness that “Unfortunately, on February 7, 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had again announced a resurface of a new case of the Ebola virus, months after the outbreak was declared over in the Region. In the same vein, on Sunday, February 14, 2021, Guinea’s ministry of health also declared an Ebola outbreak, following the mysterious death of three persons”. 

He warned that “It is on record that in the last one year, we have experienced two waves of infections and recorded a lot of fatalities. Today, Nigeria Health institutions have been stretched beyond its capacity in the past year and cannot afford to witness another outbreak of dreaded virus”. The House adopted the motion, and mandated “the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health to enhance surveillance at points of entry to respond to any suspected outbreak of Ebola coming from the neighbouring countries, especially Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo”. It also mandated “the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Information to create awareness on deadly virus and the Federal Ministry of Health, to work with the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO) and World Health Organisation on strategies to bring the Ebola outbreak under control and provide regular updates on preparedness, containment and response measures”. 

The Green Chamber also mandated “the House Committee on Health to ensure compliance. American, Patrick Sawyer, who flew from Liberia to Nigeria’s most populous city of Lagos on 20th July 2014. He was reported to be violently ill upon arriving at the airport and died five days later. In response, the Nigerian government observed all of Sawyer’s contacts for signs of infection and increased surveillance at all entry points to the country”.

Source: Vanguard

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