The National Orientation Agency has urged Nigerians not to panic over the outbreak of Ebola virus in the country.
The NOA Assistant Director, Medical Orientation Programme, Dr. Ayoola Olufemi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.
Olufemi said that NOA was sensitising Nigerians to stem the spread of the virus across the country.
He described Ebola as a global threat and a national emergency as far as Nigeria is concerned.
He said: “The Ebola virus must be tackled headlong and this being done by government at various levels.”
Olufemi called on Nigerians not to panic as the nation comes to terms with the Ebola virus.
He said: “It is a reality that the virus is here with us and what we need to do is to take precautionary measures against the virus.
“Panic is not the solution to Ebola.
“Nigerians are not supposed to panic.
“All we have to do is that we have to walk toward the containment of spread through public enlightenment.”
According to Olufemi: “People should know that there is a virus that is new to us, the virus is deadly and very infectious and can kill within days.
“The only way to protect ourselves from getting the virus is to increase our personal hygiene, environmental hygiene and report any cases of illness immediately.”
He listed the symptoms of Ebola to include: fever, headache, sour throat, body pain, weakness, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhea.
Olufemi called on Nigerians to have high index of suspicion and report anybody that was ill or people who had visited Liberia, Sierra Leone or Republic of Guinea to the authorities.
He said the NOA Director-General, Mike Omeri, had directed state directors to participate in national efforts to contain the virus by disseminating information that could help the public curtailing the spread.
He said: “NOA is also in the presidential steering committee that is working on effective advocacy and dissemination of information.
“We have started working and you know that this is an emergency and the response is going on gradually.
“Day by day, people will become aware of what they should do to protect themselves against this ravaging virus.”
Olufemi said the NOA would ensure that information on the fight against the virus and how the citizenry could be protected reaches every community in the country.
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