Ebola: Health Minister Moves To Rivers

Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Sampson Parker says the Minister for Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu will be in the state Friday as part of efforts to curtail the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease.

Parker disclosed this during his visit to Okrika Local Government area to sensitize the people of the area over Ebola, at a youth sensitization programme, organized for members of the Rivers State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria in Port Harcourt.

He called on youths in the state to join in the fight against the disease that has claimed at least 1,900 lives in five West African countries since March.

Parker said the good news was that Ebola was not a death sentence, as long as one maintained a high personal hygiene, by washing one’s hands with soap and water regularly.

“Early diagnosis is key because those that come out early have all survived, while those who hide themselves and seek alternative solutions risk their lives and the lives of their loved ones,” he stated.

Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu
Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

Parker said the virus only lasts for about 21 days except in rare cases where it is seen in breast milk and semen longer than 21 days, stressing that “generally after 21 days, the virus either kills you or you kill the virus.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kingsley Ibanichuka had informed the Commissioner that they had set up an Ebola volunteer team to carry out the sensitization campaigns in all the Local Government Areas of the State.

Meanwhile, in a bid to curtail the spread Ebola disease in the state, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has warned religious and traditional leaders in the state to desist from attempting  miraculous healing of those who contract Ebola or allow them in their worship centres.

 At a meeting with traditional rulers, Church leaders and those of the Muslim community in the state, held at Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Amaechi enlightened them about the Ebola virus and enjoined them to sensitize the people in their domains, and partner with his administration in its effort to fight the scourge.

 Amaechi also warned against stigmatization of people suspected to be infected with the Ebola virus. He said the Rivers State Government was doing its best to contain and eliminate the disease in the state.

 He urged religious leaders to preach about the disease in their churches and mosques as well as traditional rulers in their various communities.

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 He urged them to encourage those under them to imbibe healthy living and wash their hands regularly.

Amaechi warned that “Ebola is not a death sentence if properly managed. If you think you are Ebola positive and you know and you run away, you are living in self-denial. So we want our pastors, our Imams and our traditional rulers to pass on this message.

 “First, don’t heal them for us, don’t touch them for us, just call us, we will come there and in six hours after examination of the person, we will get the result and treat the person accordingly. We are doing that to curtail the spread of Ebola in our communities, so that we can be free to do our normal businesses. But for now, don’t live in fear, don’t panic.  If you suspect a case, please call the Ebola line.”

He said that the state government was discouraging those with Ebola from going to church or mosques or places where there is a large crowd of people because if somebody who is infected touches one person or two persons, he contaminates the environment and the people, and they may get infected.

 Amaechi asked people not to run away if they get infected.

“You don’t need to run away when you have Ebola.  When you run away, you will infect your family members. That means they can also possibly die, but if you report to government, government will take you in, we will feed you and feed you well, hydrate you and doctors will treat the symptoms if they come.”

He urged the religious and traditional leaders to immediately report suspected cases of Ebola virus using the available Ebola help lines: 08167733939, 08033124314, 07036321076 or the state’s emergency line 112.

He said the state has the necessary facilities to deal with the outbreak but called for the cooperation of everyone in the state to successfully stamp out the Ebola disease.

 On miraculous healings, the Governor cautioned: “I am a Christian, a Catholic by birth and I have been in the Catholic Church all my life and I believe in the miraculous power of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you don’t know what miracle is, I know. I hope you know how I became governor? I am the only Nigerian that became governor without contesting an election.

“So, I don’t doubt the power of God and I have never doubted God’s power. But, I also believe that we need to do the needful to deal with Ebola. So, don’t walk into Ebola because you believe you have spiritual powers.  It means that if you have people who have the symptoms of Ebola, you call the Ebola line,” he said.

 Also addressing the leaders, the Incident Control Manager on the Ebola virus in Nigeria, Festus Shuaibu, explained the process of containing the disease in Rivers State, assuring the people of success as recorded in Lagos, while stressing the need for cooperation and support from the traditional and religious leaders in the state, as well as all people of the state.

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