Why NCDC Director-General had to be quarantined – Health Minister

The Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire has offered explanation as to reason the Direcror-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, had to be isolated immediately after his return from China.

According to him, Ihekweazu embarked on self quarantine because safety protocol demands that anybody who has been out of the country should immediately be isolated, and if he is positive, he is sent straight away to isolation centre.

” But anybody who is coming from any of these areas, after been screened and with zero symptoms, first we give him good advisory that in the interest of everybody around him, keep yourself isolated in your house.”

“Meanwhile quarantine means keeping somebody who is healthy on observation to see if he developed the symptom of the disease.

” If he develops the symptoms, he moves from quarantine to isolation. Isolation means you have it and you are not allowed to contact anybody else because you can infect other people.

“Dr is in quarantine in his own house, that is international standard practice, recommended by WHO.

” After the mandatory period, then he is free to come out, this is the standard practice in many countries,” the minister explained.