By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Government has activated emergency preparedness measures against Ebola disease, designated an isolation centre for suspected cases and distributed personal protective equipment to healthcare facilities to prevent a possible outbreak in the state.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abakaliki during a press briefing tagged “Ebola Disease Response in Nigeria: A Call for Calm, Vigilance and Strict Compliance with Infection Prevention and Control Measures”.
Ekuma said the state government had strengthened its surveillance and response mechanisms, sensitised healthcare workers on the early identification of suspected cases and intensified public awareness campaigns to minimise the risk of transmission.
He, however, reassured residents that no Ebola case had been reported in Ebonyi State, urging them to remain calm, vigilant and responsive to public health advisories.
“The fact that a case has been confirmed in another part of the country does not automatically mean that the disease has spread to Ebonyi State,” the commissioner said.
He stressed the need for residents to avoid panic, misinformation and stigmatisation, noting that effective surveillance, early detection and strict compliance with preventive measures remained essential to containing the disease.
According to him, the state Ministry of Health is collaborating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), relevant government agencies, healthcare institutions, development partners and community leaders to strengthen preparedness and response capacity.
Ekuma said the government had provided personal protective equipment to health facilities across the state and organised orientation for healthcare workers to improve their capacity to recognise suspected cases and implement appropriate infection prevention and control protocols.
“We have distributed personal protective equipment to our health facilities. The healthcare workers have also been given orientation on this condition.
“We have also prepared an isolation centre in case we have any suspected cases. A lot has been done in preparation,” he said.
The commissioner explained that the measures were precautionary and intended to ensure that the state could respond promptly should a suspected case emerge.
He added that the ministry would extend its sensitisation campaign to communities and media organisations to promote public awareness and counter misinformation about Ebola.
Ekuma urged healthcare workers in public and private facilities to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly report suspected cases and strictly observe established infection prevention and control procedures.
He emphasized that the use of personal protective equipment by healthcare workers attending to suspected cases was mandatory, warning against practices that could expose medical personnel, patients and other residents to infection.
“Wearing personal protective equipment at this time is not optional. It is a must for healthcare workers,” he said.
