The Lagos State government says it is fully prepared to contain any case of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus as soon as it is detected in the state to prevent it from spreading.
Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on media and publicity, Gboyega Akosile, disclosed this to the Peoples Gazette, on Friday, while reacting to the inclusion of Lagos by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), among other states, on high Ebola preparedness alert.
Although no confirmed case of Ebola virus has been recorded in Nigeria, the NCDC director-general, Jide Idris, in a statement on Thursday, listed Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa, as high-risk states, due to international airports, porous borders, and active trade or travel routes.
Mr Idris also identified Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Abia, and Bayelsa as moderate-risk states requiring sustained preparedness efforts against possible Ebola importation and transmission threats.
Mr Akosile said that while it is not the duty of the state government, the Sanwo-Olu administration is in contact with the federal government to prevent any possible entry of the virus into the country, while health agencies in the state have already been mobilised in readiness for any eventuality.
He said, “In terms of readiness for any form of eventualities, Lagos State has demonstrated that it is ready to tackle issues like this. We demonstrated this and tackled it head on, during the administration of Babatunde Fashola. We also demonstrated it when Covid-19 struck during our administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“The institutional experience, operational capability and capacity are there for us in Lagos, it’s just for us to activate it. I can guarantee that the health family, the first responders, are warming up, in case there’s any form of entry. We pray the entry will be controlled and curtailed by the appropriate authorities, but be rest assured that Lagos State, will respond as always, to any form of strain coming into our dear state.
“The state government is always in communication and partnership with the federal on several issues, not only on Ebola or other health related issues. Lagos State is seriously monitoring the situation.”
Asked if isolation centers are already in place at the borders and the airport in the state, Mr Akosike said, “Isolation centers are not places you can keep forever because they are not regular hospitals but the institutional knowledge is there for us in Lagos and it is for us, a plug and play situation.
“As we speak, there are meetings going on and people gearing up, especially LASEMA, LASAMBUS, in case we have any entry into the state. I also know that the federal government is working very hard to ensure we don’t have such issue in Nigeria.”
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspected health matters to the appropriate agencies.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for health, Akin Abayomi, did not respond to enquiries by The Gazette seeking comment.
The World Health Organization (WHO), on May 17, declared the Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
According to the international health body, while the new deadly Ebola strain has no approved cure or vaccine, the outbreak does not meet the criteria of pandemic emergency as defined by the International Health Regulations.
