Kano, Bayelsa, Abia, Others Adopt Preventive Measures against Ebola

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, Segun James in Yenagoa and Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
Governors Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Theodore Orji of
Abia State and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, yesterday, said they have adopted preventative measures in the fight against the Ebola virus.
Speaking with journalists yesterday in Kano, Kwankwaso said that his government has provided an isolated hospital and other needed facilities to tackle the virus if there was any reported case in the state.
“Ebola as you all know has now been identified in Lagos and of course, even before then we have started taking measures and preparing ourselves in case of any eventuality, especially when we heard about it (Ebola) in some countries that are not far away from us,” the governor said.
In a special broadcast to the people of the state shortly after receiving the report of the Kano State Epidemic Preparedness and Response Committee at Government House, Kwankwaso said, “a committee has been established under Dr. Nasir Mahmoud with other professionals in that area. The committee has submitted its report to the council today (yesterday), we have deliberated on it and have taken some concrete measures to ensure that this (Ebola) is not brought to the state and in case it happens, God forbid, the state is very much ready because we have provided a well-equipped facility outside the city.”  
The governor added that the state has 33 personal Protective Personal Equipment (PPE); we have now identified a hospital outside of the city and we have provided vehicles, assuring that government is working hand-in-hand with other federal agencies, especially at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport and state borders to ensure proper  monitoring of the situation.
In Bayelsa State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ayibatonye Owei, disclosed that the government has also set up a 13-man taskforce to map out strategies as well as liaise with other notable local, national and international health institutions to confront any outbreak of the Ebola virus in the state.
Owei said that he would serve as chairman, Dr Biribina Samayin as secretary, Dr. Wakiente Ombu, Dr. Douye Aganaba and Dr. Taribara Sigah Ekere amongst others as members.
According to him, some of the measures being put in place include, training programmes for all health personnel in health institutions across the state, because they are the ones, who are mostly at the risk of contracting it.
Owei explained that, health personnel will be trained in collaboration with the state ministry of health, World Health Organisation (WHO), Federal Ministry of Health and the Centre for Disease Control, stating that, the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa and the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital have been designated as centres to handle patients in case of an outbreak of the disease in the state.
He disclosed that provision has been made for protective equipment for health personnel, while sensitisation programmes to enlighten the public have been ongoing on radio, television and newspaper with designated emergency phone lines to be contacted for any suspected cases.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State government yesterday declared that, henceforth any corpse being brought into state in body bag should not be opened for burial and must be accompanied with death certificate so as to forestall the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in the state.
Already, the government has set up a rapid response committee in all the 16 local government councils that would embark on the project in order to verify the medical report of the dead people being brought to the state.
The state commissioner for Health, Alhaji Kayode Issa disclosed this in Ilorin yesterday, while speaking with journalists on the preventive measures being put in place by the government against importing Ebola into the state.
In Umuahia, capital of Abia State, the Orji-led administration is not leaving any thing to chance as it has designated some hospital wards across the state to handle patients showing symptoms of the dreaded disease in case of the outbreak.
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah made this known yesterday, while fielding questions from journalists on the readiness of the government to keep the state free of the Ebola virus.
He said the pro-active measure has become necessary in view of the devastating effect of the disease now ravaging the West African sub-region.
The commissioner said that aside from designating some hospital wards for the management of Ebola cases, the state ministry of health has embarked on public enlightenment campaign to educate Abia residents about the Ebola disease and what to do in the event of an outbreak.
He however appealed to Abia residents not to panic but should promptly report any symptoms of Ebola infection to the health authorities once they noticed it in order to allow for quick intervention.