Ebola: FG Warns 15 States To Speed Up Readiness, Orders Hospitals To Prepare Isolation Beds

The Federal Government has directed hospitals nationwide to prepare isolation beds and strengthen infection prevention measures as part of efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak, warning that 15 states are yet to update their response plans.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, gave the directive in Abuja during a press briefing on the government’s response to the outbreak, saying health facilities had been instructed to make adequate provisions for suspected cases and protect frontline health workers.

While briefing the National Economic Council, he said 21 states had already accelerated preparations and strengthened their capacity to respond to the possible spread of the disease and warned the remaining 15 states to speed up their preparations.

“We have notified all our hospitals to make room for bed capacity, isolation, and prepare their health workers in terms of infection prevention in these cases, because health workers are on the front lines,” Pate said.

He said the government was coordinating the national response through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, with support from the World Health Organisation and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

He also urged private hospitals to promptly report suspected cases and called for the training and protection of health workers.

The directive comes as health authorities intensify contact tracing, surveillance and emergency preparedness following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in the FCT.

“We don’t want it to go beyond it, and there is no need to panic, but we have to be vigilant,” he said.

According to Pate, most states already had response plans developed with the guidance of the NCDC, but some had yet to complete theirs.

“Most of the states have already response plans, which were developed with the guidance of the NCDC. Those that have not finished their response plans, we’ve asked them to quickly finish their response plans,” he said.

He disclosed that additional funds had been provided to the NCDC to strengthen the response, while the WHO and the Africa CDC were supporting the country.

The government had also invited Prof. Christian Happi, a renowned genomics expert based at Redeemer’s University, Ede, to complement the NCDC’s work.

The current outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, which has been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in the region.

Pate urged Nigerians experiencing symptoms such as fever, headaches and muscle aches, particularly those with a relevant travel history, to isolate themselves and promptly contact public health authorities via NCDC’s toll-free line 6232.