Ebola: Disease surveillance system strong in Oyo —UCH CMD •Why Nigeria still at risk —Virologist the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Professor Temitope Alonge, said on Monday, that disease surveillance system had been strong in Oyo State. Alonge told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ibadan that, as a result of this strong surveillance system, any endemic situation in the area could be curtailed. The CMD disclosed that the Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) scare in Oyo, was responsible for the close collaboration between the state government and the UCH, in trying to curb the spread of the EVD. He commended the state government for its constant support whenever the UCH management called on it. The CMD said that UCH got some reagents, body-bags, as well as professional assistance from the state Ministry of Health, during the last outbreak of Lassa fever in the state. He said that the disease surveillance committee included the State Epidemiologist, Dr Abbas Gbolahan, whose office was in charge of disease control and contact tracing. Meanwhile, a virologist, Professor Oyewale Tomori, said on Monday that Nigeria would continue to be at risk of the EVD, as long as the virus lingered in neighbouring countries. Tomori, who works with the World Health Organisation (WHO), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, that Nigeria would become free of the virus only after the disease had been wiped out of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea - all in West Africa. He, however, commended both the Federal Government and the Lagos State government for their dedicated efforts in combating the Ebola Virus in the country. Also, no fewer than 417 intending Christian pilgrims under the Bauchi State government sponsorship were, on Monday, screened for the 2014 pilgrimage. Addressing the pilgrims in Bauchi, Reverend Shuaibu Byel, the Chairman of the Bauchi State Christian Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, said the screening was necessary to avoid complications. Byel said that all the pilgrims must be screened to verify their credentials and confirm the information provided in their applications, to avoid “contradiction and falsification’’.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 07:55:43 +0000
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