Nigeria is in danger of Ebola virus

The Ebola Virus Disease, which has caused the death of scores of people in Central and West Africa may be heading towards Nigeria, the Federal Government has said.
Over 100 people have died from the disease in Guinea, while about 10 deaths have also been recorded in Liberia. Mali, Ghana, and other West African countries have also reported cases of the disease. The disease is believed to be spread through physical contact or contact with fluid of infected persons.
The World Health Organisation said, recently, that it expects the disease to continue in West Africa for the next few months.
Speaking to journalists after the weekly meeting of the Executive Council of the Federation, FEC, the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, however, said no case of the disease has been reported in Nigeria.
“Like you pointed out, Ebola has been moving eastward towards Nigeria. We are already facing danger from Central African Republic, even with what is happening in Congo; people are also migrating to Chad and Cameroon are also in our borders.
“So Nigeria is in danger,” the minister said.
Mr. Chukwu said the federal government will now do more to educate Nigerians on the Ebola virus.

“As I speak to you, we have already approved for jingles to be produced in various languages; produced for Nigerian Centre for Disease Control to be aired on Radio, TV and newspaper adverts.
“Then we are working with all groups, just like we are doing for polio, religious bodies, communities, traditional rulers and the media, which is most important in this venture. You (media) will help us to play your role by educating Nigerians,” he said.
The Health Minister also said there is no vaccine for the disease yet and “so it's not a question of government has not produced vaccines for Ebola or Lassa fever.
“If there were vaccines, government will certainly buy a stock and keep. There is no specific treatment.”
Mr. Chukwu explained that both Ebola and Lassa fever could be spread through animals.
“We know what spreads infection for Lassa is a special type of rat in Nigeria; the ones for Ebola are bats that even some Nigerians see it as bush meat.
“And bats eat fruits as well and so sometimes if you go and pluck fruits that they have contaminated with the virus so someone can get infected.”
The minister advised Nigerians to take their personal hygiene seriously.
“So all the things we said still apply. Personal hygiene: make sure that after every ceremony you wash your hands.
“The first thing I do after returning from work is to wash my hands before hugging my children or anybody; it is very important. The second thing is that before you eat wash your hands again, the fruits must be washed,

Lagos closes illegal health centres

Lagos State has closed substandard hospitals and illegal pharmacies across the state for failure to comply with set standards.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, said the 28 hospitals were closed for various offences such as the use of auxiliary nurses and poor environment among other reasons.

The commissioner added that the Taskforce on Fake, Counterfeit Drugs and Unwholesome Process Foods during the raid of illegal pharmacies in Lagos shut down 319 substandard pharmacies as they were not registered and breached the health standard rules.

He meanwhile said the State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), in the last year renewed the registration of 1 089 private health facilities and monitored 1 182 health facilities, of which 114

were found wanting and served with closure notices.