The Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health has allayed fears that Nigeria might be in danger of another outbreak of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) due to the repatriation of the remains of a Nigerian from Kinshasha, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It would be recalled that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had recently alerted the whole World on the recent outbreak of Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, in defiant of the Nigerian regulations last Sunday, an airline brought in the remains of a Nigerian from the same country, which according to the Nigerian Department of Port Health Service, were without the necessary documentations.
This breach of safety measure had put the nation in significant health risk of disease outbreak.
However, in a joint press briefing held on Thursday in Lagos the minister of health, Professor Isaac Adewole and his Lagos counterpart, Dr Jide Idris, said that the country is not in danger of EVD.
They said that a series of tests was carried on the remains of the repatriated Nigerian to ascertain the cause of his death.
Speaking Adewole said, “The officials of Port Health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Lagos State Ministry of Health investigated the cause of death of the human remains and took samples for laboratory investigation.
“We are happy to inform Nigerians that the laboratory report showed that there is no evidence of Ebola infection or any other contagious infections in this human remains.
“We assure everyone to go about their normal business without any anxiety. Government will want everyone to be vigilant and encourage all our officials at land, sea and air borders to continue screening of international passengers.”
He, however, reiterated the federal government strict policy and ban on the repatriation of diseased Nigerians from other lands, adding that the defaulting airline will be punished accordingly.
Speaking he said, “Necessary steps are being taken by the Regulatory Authority to sanction the airline in a bid to prevent future occurrences. We have commenced a detailed investigation by all relevant agencies of government to determine the immediate and remote intentions of this unfortunate behaviour.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria instituted a ban on the repatriation of human remains into the country in all points of entry as a precautionary measure to avoid importation of any infectious disease.
“This ban was one of the interventions we undertook as a nation during the Ebola outbreak. The Federal Ministry of Health, Port Health Division issued guidelines to all airlines (foreign and Local) on the procedures to be followed to obtain a waiver before repatriating any human remains into the country.
“The government will like to reiterate again that the ban is still in force and any attempt to contravene this ban will attract serious sanction. The administration of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari takes the health of her citizens seriously and will not shy away from wielding a big-stick on any errant individuals or organisation.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Dr Idris, also mentioned that the state was trigger- ready in the event of any disease outbreak.
Speaking he said, “Prior to this event, Lagos State government has put in place the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs, and health workers in public and private health facilities have been placed on alert, health workers are to be given refresher training, the isolation wards in the Mainland hospital and other health facilities have been reactivated, awareness campaign is been sustained, infection prevention and control commodities are being restocked
“Also, Lagos State government in collaboration with the Federal Government through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Port Health Services have developed a public health emergency contingency plan at the airport and land borders.”
The minister wished the Republic of Congo success in their fight against the disease.
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