Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State on Monday approved the purchase of N50 million worth of protection apparels and ambulances to curtail the possible spread of Ebola disease.
This was contained in a statement issued by Malam Sani Umar, the Senior Special Assistant to Wamakko on Media, in Sokoto.
“The gesture is part of measures to check the Ebola virus which broke out in Lagos State,” it said.
The statement added that Wamakko also approved the establishment of detection centres in the three senatorial districts in the state.
It said that the centres would be established in Gwadabawa, Tangaza and Shagari for investigation and referrals.
The statement said that Noma Specialist Hospital and Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital in Sokoto had been designated as the screening centres.
It stated: “Government has also approved the Amanawa Hospital in Dange/Shuni Local Government area to serve as an isolation camp for referral of identified cases from the centres.
“Government has directed all the 23 local government areas to provide logistics and health facilities in case of any eventuality.”
It said the state government had approved the sensitisation of the general public through the media.
It said that the state was liaising with the development partners on capacity building for doctors, nurses and other health professionals.
The statement said the state government had directed state Ministry of Health to meet traditional rulers on the need to prevent the spread of the disease in their domains.
It stated: “Government has also directed the ministry of health on effective surveillance and immediate notification.
“So far, no case has been reported in the state. People should go about their normal businesses without panic.”
President Goodluck Jonathan had on August 8 declared the control and containment of the Ebola virus in Nigeria, as “a National Emergency”.
This followed the death of the first Nigerian, a nurse, of the disease after contracting it from Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, who died of the virus in Lagos on July 24.