The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has called for heightened vigilance and intensified awareness efforts by Nigerians on the symptoms of hemorrhagic fevers.
The Minister noted that health care providers and the general public must immediately report any sign of illness to the public health officials immediately.
The Federal Government in response to the announcement by the World Health Organization on confirmed cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has directed Port Health officials to step up inspection activities and to report any sick person or suspects to ensure that the State Epidemiologist in the states where they are present is immediately alerted and relevant tests conducted.
The symptoms to look out for include fever, fatigue, weakness, dizziness and muscle aches.
Patients with more severe cases show bleeding under the skin, internal organs or even from bodily orifices like mouth, ears and the ears.
Nigerians were urged not to panic as the Nigeria Center for Disease Control is on ground and equipped to secure the health of citizens.
The agency has for a while now been strengthening states capacities to detect, manage and respond to hemorrhagic fevers, including Lassa fever.
Adewole called on states to begin social mobilization and media awareness efforts via TV, radio, print and social media.
Adewole also charged state health ministries to strengthen their supervision services and escalate any incident appropriately.
The Health Minister directed all Nigerian health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion by screening all fevers for Ebola.
Similarly, the minister encouraged members of the public to observe a high level of personal hygiene, which includes regular hand washing and to also report all cases of fever to the nearest health facility.
Trending
- Transcorp Power appoints Non-Executive Directors
- Troops neutralise 192 terrorists, apprehend 341 others in one week – DHQ
- Why we sacked coach Paul Offor – Sporting Lagos FC Chair
- JUTH records first set of IVF quadruplets
- Victor Boniface: From military barracks to Bundesliga glory, by Kayode Adebiyi
- GOtv Boxing Night 31: Abimbola targets N1m cash prize
- Police arrest driver for alleged unlawful possession of pistols
- Navigating boss-subordinate relationship, by Kenechukwu Aguolu