RSPHCMB Warns Against Ebola Disease

The Rivers State Pri
mary Healthare Management Board (RSPHCMB), has sent a warning to residents of the State against the dreaded killer virus, Ebola.
The Director, Disease Control Services, Dr Roland Obed-Whyte who gave this warning in a chat, said people should be vigilant and report any strange illness associated with bleeding to the nearest health facility or the Local Government Disease Surveillance Officer for investigation and treatment.
Dr Obed-Whyte, described the Ebola virus disease as a hemorrhagic illness associated with bleeding from every part of the body.
He said the disease, presently ravaging some parts of Africa, has an incubation period of between two to 21 days and fatality rate of 90 per cent.
According to him, “it is the most virulent disease ever known and is regarded as the Worlds deadliest.”
He warned against the consumption of wild animals popularly known as “Bush meat” in Nigeria, saying that the virus had been found in wild animals such as Monkeys, Porcupines, Antelopes and Bats among others.
Sadly, he said there is no known treatment or vaccine available against the virus for now, but symptoms are treated to prevent opportunistic infections and patients are usually kept in isolation.
He stated however, that the virus had not yet being detected in Nigeria, and added an active surveillance team has been put in place in the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State.
He said, “in Rivers State, we gave active surveillance team put in place in the 23 LGAs, it is one of the areas where Rivers State is very active. There is hardly any month that the disease surveillance team are not having continuous training on active surveillance, they are also involved in epidemic response.”

Tonye Nria-Dappa

R-L: Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Oluwole Oke, Patron, Afribaby Initiative, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, President, Afribaby Initiative, Dr Oscar Odiboh and Erelu of Lagos, Erelu Abiola Dosumu and others at the pre-Easter Baby and Mothercare Expo in Lagos, yesterday.