We’re Taking Care Of Ebola-Related Cases – Fashola

Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Friday clarified that the state government is taking adequate care of all patients who have tested positive to the Ebola Virus Disease while also gradually developing capacity to manage the emergency situation even as he called for caution in the media publication of commentaries on efforts to contain the virus.

The Governor spoke in an interview with journalists at the Lagos House, Ikeja and also dwelt on the Ebola Virus Disease issue when he addressed Muslims at the Jumat Service at Secretariat Central Mosque, Alausa as well as during a meeting with Community Development Committees (CDC) and Community Development Associations (CDA)in the state.

He explained that these are very challenging times for health authorities in managing the disease because it is just developing capacity for its management as the Ebola Virus outbreak was not something that was planned for.
While appreciating what the media is doing and has been doing to help the government sensitize members of the public about the risks, the precautions and the necessary developments relating to the management of Ebola Virus outbreak in Nigeria, he noted that because it is something quite novel in this part, the knowledge is not sufficiently pervading.

While sympathizing with the victims that the unfortunate disease has affected, the Governor said one can only understand the trauma, the concerns and anxiety that the family members are going through.

He explained that the outbreak is not something that was expected, or planned for and that getting people who are sufficiently knowledgeable and skilled but who are health workers to go in to the Isolation Wards to work has been quite a challenge.

“It is a matter of very monumental courage for those who have signed up and we commend their courage. There is s a personnel capacity issue of those who can go in and look after patients. First, physicians who have to do clinical work there and then support staff like nurses who have to clean up patients, manage their body fluids in a way that they themselves do not become victims.

“Now the Personal Protective Equipment that they wear is very hot and they are literally sealed in, so that you are protected and therefore it is uncomfortable and ideally no doctor or medical personnel should stay in that place for any undue length of time,” he added.

He reiterated that the ideal thing would have been to have teams going in for short periods, coming to rest and another team going in, but that what is available now is that teams are working flat out and therefore there would be be no opportunity to segregate anyone patient.

He added that from what the experts told him there would be no opportunity to single out a particular person as a very important personality that would get special care, adding that whether it is from the lowest member of society to the most important person, they would all be treated in the same way.

“The first thing is to contain the epidemic in one place and the next thing is to provide treatment to victims, unfortunately we have lost some patients which is sad but we must move on to ensure that we do not compound what is already a difficult situation and the press conference that the patients are not being treated, there is no water, there is no power is not only unhelpful but puts more pressure on the heath workers.

“News reaching me about two hours ago is that some of the health workers feel unappreciated and they decided to stop work as a result of that press conference. We don’t need that now,” he added.

The governor maintained that the health workers are doing the best they can and appealed for more health workers to sign up, adding that from the briefings he got at the last meeting he attended this morning on Ebola, even if one is the best physician in the world today and he comes in to the Isolation Ward, he cannot enter because he needs to be trained on how to kit up and how to get out of the kit so that he doesn’t infect himself and also needs to be trained in the flow of activities in the isolation unit.