The Nigerian House of Representatives has urged the executive arm of government to intensify surveillance in all the country’s entry points to respond to any suspected outbreak of Ebola coming from the neighbouring countries.
The House also stressed the need for increased awareness campaign on the deadly virus as part of measures to avert the resurgence of the virus.
These were contained in a motion under matters of urgent public importance unanimously adopted by the House on the need to create immediate public awareness to combat possible outbreak of Ebola.
Presenting the motion, Mr. Idem Unyime from Akwa Ibom State expressed concern over the resurgence of Ebola disease in DRC, on February 7th, saying that the disease would be very catastrophe as the health facilities across the country were over stretch due to COVID-19 Pandemic.
“Saddened that unfortunately, on February 7, 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had again announce a resurface of a new case of the Ebola virus, months after the outbreak was declared over in the Region. In the same vein, on Sunday, February 14, 2021, Guinea’s ministry of health also declared an Ebola outbreak, following the mysterious death of three persons.
It is on record that in the last one year, we have experienced two waves of infections and recorded a lot of fatalities. Today, Nigeria Health institutions have been stretched beyond its capacity in the past one year and cannot afford to witness another outbreak of dreaded virus,” Mr. Unyime stressed.
The House also mandated the Ministry of Health to work with the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO) and World Health Organisation on strategies to bring the Ebola outbreak under control and provide regular updates on preparedness, containment and response measures.
Ebola Virus Disease (commonly known as “Ebola”) was reported and confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the 25th March, 2014 in West African Countries as a small part of the epidemic which originated in Guinea and represents the first outbreak of the disease globally.
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