EBOLA: Suspected Kaduna Case Tests Negative

 

The teenage undergraduate in Kaduna  suspected to been infected with the Ebola Virus Disease [EVD] has tested negative to the virus. Officials of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital [ABUTH] and  the Kaduna State Government had sent the patient’s blood to Lagos for testing. 

 

According to the state Commissioner For Health, Thot Dogo, who spoke said, the result of the test was being expected on Wednesday afternoon (today). However,  an authoritative support group, working on Ebola Virus Disease interventions in the country,  Ebola Alert,  told the newspaper that laboratory test has shown the student does not have the virus. 

 

An official of the group, who simply identified himself as Ladi, said the test, concluded earlier on Tuesday night, came out negative. “Yes, it is true that the result is negative,” Ladi said in response to an enquiry. “Whatever information Ebola Alert puts out is authentic.”  On contacting the group after it tweeted on its handle (@EbolaAlert): “The Kaduna rumour is not #Ebola after laboratory test. “Reaching a diagnosis of #Ebola is dependent on a laboratory test. However close it may be, it is not Ebola until it is Ebola.” 

 

The Federal Ministry of Health and the Kaduna State Government are expected to announce the result of the test later on Wednesday. The Kaduna Commissioner for Health, Mr. Dogo, had said that the student had been on admission at the hospital for a week. He said after he “developed rashes with redness of the eyes”, authorities became suspicious and decided to isolate him and test him for Ebola. 

 

The state government also provided protective equipment to medical officers attending to the patient, Mr. Dogo said. But in a series of tweets Tuesday, Ebola Alert urged doctors and hospitals to refrain from divulging patients’ information so as not to stigmatize them while also creating panic in society. It reminded Nigerian doctors and hospitals to note that several other diseases share symptoms with Ebola. 

 

The organization said, “We hope our hospitals will continue to keep health information of their clients and care givers confidential especially #SUSPECTED#EBOLA. “It is equally important to stay professional by not creating panic in the interest of your staff, patients and country at large. #Ebola “Several diseases share symptoms with #Ebola and there are other viral haemorrhagic fevers. “In an #EbolaOutbreak, it is challenging for the healthcare workers to balance between high suspicion and misdiagnosis. Remain professional. “It will be hard to have public panic if patients #health#information is kept confidential as is #ethically required; even #Ebola patients. “We hope our colleagues continue to remain professional as we work on this together. #Ebola#HCW#Nigeria Do not put patients’ info out there. “When you wrongly classify an ill person as an #Ebola patient, we hope you will be around to clean the stigma caused. #CAUTION “Reaching a diagnosis of #Ebola is dependent on a laboratory test. 

 

However close it may be, it is not Ebola until it is Ebola. #CAUTION “Healthcare is a very responsible and accountable sector. #Ebola will bring out these leadership attributes out of us. Let’s lead now.”

 

By Bankole Jamgbadi

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