Ibrahim Wada, founder and chief executive officer of Nisa Medical Group, has urged health authorities and the public to respect patient confidentiality when dealing with suspected infectious disease cases.
In response to reports of a suspected case of viral hemorrhagic fever treated at one of his Abuja hospitals, Mr Wada stated on Monday that not all illnesses were worthy of being made public.
“If the illness is not a notifiable condition, as the case definition for viral haemorrhagic fever, then his privacy and medical confidentiality must be respected,” he said.
Mr Wada said that epidemic-prone diseases such as Ebola, Marburg, and Lassa fever must be reported promptly under public health regulations.
He, however, said that exposing personal details of patients without cause could lead to stigma and discourage people from seeking timely medical care.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that two recent suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever in Abuja tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses.
The director-general of NCDC, Jide Idris, said that samples were undergoing further testing for other conditions, including Lassa fever and Dengue fever.
He commended the most recent patient, a traveller from Kigali, Rwanda, who promptly reported to a private hospital in Abuja when he felt unwell.
“His decision to report early, combined with the vigilance of the attending clinician and hospital team, ensured that our public health system was promptly activated and the risk to public health was minimised.
“This responsible action is highly commendable and a good practice all Nigerians are urged to emulate,” Mr Idris said.
The NCDC boss commended clinicians at Nisa Premier Hospital, the FCT Epidemiology and Rapid Response Teams, Port Health Services, the National Reference Laboratory, and other partners for their swift collaboration in investigating the cases.
“There is no confirmed outbreak of Ebola or Marburg virus disease in Nigeria at this time. The public is advised to remain calm,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to practise good hygiene, avoid rumours, and rely only on official updates.
He said that for suspected cases, the NCDC Connect Centre can be reached via the toll-free line 6232, WhatsApp (+234 708 711 0839), SMS (+234 809 955 5577), or email (info@ncdc.gov.ng).
(NAN)
