PRESS BRIEFING BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HEALTH, PROF. ONYEBUCHI CHUKWU AT THE EMERGENCY NATIONAL COUNCIL ON HEALTH MEETING ON THE EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA The Federal Ministry of Health convened the Emergency Council on Health meeting on 11th August, 2014 at the Sheraton Hotel Abuja to discuss the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in Nigeria. The National Council on Health is the highest policy making body in the health sector and is comprised of the Honourable Minister of Health as the Chairman, the Minister of State for Health, the Commissioners for Health in the States and the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as members with the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health as the Secretary of the Council. The Council received presentations on the Status of the EVD outbreak and the preventive strategies and measures put in place to secure the Nigerian borders against further importation of the EVD. These presentations were made by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health. The Honourable Minister of Information addressed the Council, while the Honourable Minister of Health and Honourable Minister of State for Health made statements. Council also received special briefing from the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Lagos State. Council also shared experiences on the response put in place as well as challenges and gaps in controlling and containing the EVD by the State Ministries of Health and the FCTA HHSS. Council discussed the issues arising from the presentations and noted that: •Nigeria remained an Ebola Virus free country until this incidence of importation and unfortunate contamination that occurred on July 20th, 2014. •Council noted that it has been 22 days since EVD first landed in Nigeria and to date, 177 primary and secondary contacts of the index case have been placed under surveillance, with 9 having developed EVD, bringing the total number of cases in Nigeria to 10. Of these 10, 2 have died (the Liberian American and the Nigerian nurse) while 8 are alive and are currently being managed in Lagos. Council in session arrived at the following resolutions: i. State Governments are to institutionalise communication strategy to ensure mass awareness creation and sensitisation for individuals and communities on EVD. Council directed that particular attention should be paid to vulnerable groups such as market women and other women groups, patent medicine vendors, road transport workers, fishermen in the riverine areas, hunters and bush meat sellers, school children, morticians and mortuary attendants, traditional healers and faith based groups; ii. Council observed that Emergency Operations Centres remain the responsibility of the Federal Government. However, Council urged States to establish communication channels as necessary that address general and peculiar needs in each State/FCT; iii. Council directed the Federal Ministry Health to provide State Ministries of Health and HHSS FCTA as well as military and para-military groups with support to strengthen training of health care workers at the State and LGA levels on proper infection control and EVD containment strategies; iv. Council directed Federal, State Ministries of Health as well as Health & Human Services Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to provide adequate incentives to health workers who participate in the management of EVD patients to encourage them to be active in the containment of the EVD. Council further directed that they should be provided with life insurance coverage; v. Council directed that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) should re-circulate protocols and SOPs for management of EVD cases as well as protocol for submitting samples to the laboratories and burying of EVD victims. The Federal Government should provide specifications and support States with special Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); vi. Council also directed the Federal Ministry of Health to support the establishment of additional laboratories for EVD management and also directed the NCDC to conduct detailed mapping of location, capacities and categorization of existing laboratories to inform this scale up plan vii. Council directed that the Federal Ministry of Health, State Ministries of Health and HHSS FCTA are to devise means of ensuring that private sector health providers are sensitized and cases with high index of suspicion are promptly referred; viii. The Port Health Services Division of the Federal Ministry of Health to provide and ensure the implementation of guidelines for cross border monitoring of EVD, particularly in riverine areas and states with international borders; states that have riverine areas are to ensure the provision of boat ambulances suitable for EVD control; ix. Council directed Navy, Customs and Immigration services to collaborate with the Port Health Services to strengthen of border monitoring and patrol for EVD; x. Council directed further engagement to discuss challenges and proffer solutions to address EVD should be held between the Federal Ministry of Health and States with peculiar security challenges including but not limited to Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Kano, Taraba, and Yobe; xi. Council directed the Federal Government to make whole body scanners available at designated Ports of Entry; it also directed that the Federal Government should assist States to establish isolation tents that would cater for at least 20 people; xii. Council resolved that ideally all corpses should be accompanied with death certificates. All States are to be encouraged to have legislation to support this resolution. The corpses of all persons confirmed to have died of EVD must be buried according to standard WHO protocol; xiii. Council further directed that the transportation of corpses into Nigeria as well as inter-state transportation be banned until further notice except with approved waivers that may be issued by the Federal Ministry of Health; xiv. Council urged the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to suspend its strike forthwith and contribute its quota in the ongoing response to this national health emergency. Council extended its appreciation to Mr. President as well as the State Governors/Minister of Federal Capital Territory Administration for the unprecedented political support they are providing Council in this difficult period. Council assured Mr. President, Governors of the States as well as Hon. Minister FCTA that it will do all that is necessary to ensure that EVD is contained in Nigeria. Council also conveyed its appreciation to all the Hon. Commissioners for Health/FCTA HHSS Secretary and their delegates for the commitment they have demonstrated in containing the spread of the EVD. Council appreciated the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku for his invaluable time in coming to address them and his efforts in sensitizing the public and creating awareness about the EVD. Council further appreciated the Federal Ministry of Health, the NCDC, Port Health Services Division, Lagos State Government, WHO, US-CDC, for their efforts so far in controlling the EVD Thank you Share this news with friends!!! Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 0
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 09:55:40 +0000