Ebola: Rivers Ready To Tackle Outbreak; ‘Five More Patients Recovering Fast’ …Discharged Victim Not Dr Adadevor …FG Withdraws Nano Silver For Treatment …Cameroon Shuts Sea Border With Nigeria

Though there is yet no sign of Ebola in Rivers state, the state government has declared that it is ready for any possible outbreak of the dreaded disease.
The State Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr. Nnanna Onyekwere who said this at an Interministerial meeting in Port Harcourt last Friday stated that though the Contact, Tracing and Surveillance Committee  set up by the Rivers State Government has received several calls, he noted that in all cases so far investigated, none has shown any sign of Ebola.
Onyekwere, said, Rapid Response Drill (teams) have been set up in the state capital and the 23 local government areas, adding that four ambulances have also been committed for Ebola calls with special phone numbers dedicated for quick contact with members of the public.
He named the General Hospital, Elele-Alumini in Ikwerre Local Government Area as the Isolation zone in the state while the Primary Health Centre, Oduoha in Emohua Local Government Area, is the Quarantine Zone.
The director, who is the State Coordinator on Ebola, explained that work has reached advanced stages to get the Isolation zone ready as incineration facilities, and water are soon to be installed.
Onyekwere, who was explaining the readiness of the state to combat the scourge presently ravaging Lagos, and some other states in the country, said Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) are expected to arrive the state soon, and solicited for volunteers to manage any potential patients in the state.
He disclosed that the state does not have any laboratory for Ebola test but that the University of Port Harcourt has a machine, adding that the machine needed to be calibrated and the staff trained to effectively man the facility.
The Tide gathered that only four laboratories for Ebola test are present in country.
They are: the University College, Ibadan, National Centre for Disease Control, Asokoro, Abuja, Redeemers University as well as Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
Similarly, five other Ebola patients in Nigeria have almost fully recovered, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said.
The minister spoke on Saturday while breaking the good news that the first Nigerian confirmed to have contracted the Ebola virus had been discharged after full recovery.
Chukwu, who briefed newsmen in Lagos, said the patient was discharged “after conclusive discharge protocols’’, adding that she could go home to resume her normal life.
The female doctor had attended to the Liberian, Mr Patrick Sawyer, who brought the disease to Nigeria.
The minister however debunked reports that the discharged female doctor’s medical name was given as Dr. Adadevor.
He said five other Ebola patients have almost fully recovered.
Chukwu said the number of confirmed Ebola cases had risen to 12.
Four of the cases, including the index case, Patrick Sawyer, have passed on while 189 persons are under surveillance in Lagos, and six in Enugu.
The minister said all the persons under surveillance were secondary contacts.
“Additional equipment has also been made available to the new isolating ward by the Federal Government’’, he said.
The minister also said that the Nano Silver drug which was made available to the Emergency Operations Centre in Lagos on Aug. 14, did not meet basic research requirements.
“As soon as any of the experimental drugs is cleared by the National Health Research Ethics Committee and is made available, we shall include it in the treatment regimen subject to the informed consent of the patient.’’
The minister also debunked speculations that there are Ebola cases in Imo, Abia and Cross River States, adding that the case of the disease in Kwara was still under investigation.
“The mother of the child in Kwara tested negative and we are still investigating the child. Also, the corpse in Anambra was embalmed and we are awaiting result of the test.
“All the mortuary attendants who had contact with the corpse tested negative, so there is no need to panic’’, he said.
On the suspension of resident doctors’ training by the Federal Government, Chukwu said there had been problems with the training which also informed the ongoing doctors’ strike.
According to the minister, the suspension is with all Federal Government hospitals, adding that states’ teaching hospitals were not affected.
Chukwu said the paperwork for insurance package for volunteers was ongoing, adding that the Lagos State Government had commenced implementation of insurance package for health workers.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said he will meet private hospitals’ owners and directors this week over reports that some private hospitals are refusing to treat patients suffering from malaria or fever for fear of contracting the Ebola Virus Disease.
Chukwu, who stated this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja, however attributed the action to inadequate information on the nature and mode of spread of the disease, which had been causing of panic among Nigerians..
“Part of the reason we want to meet with them is due to reports that the private hospitals were turning back patients suffering from Fever and malaria for fear of contracting Ebola Virus Disease through them.”
He said with proper education, the country would be able to contain the spread of the disease.
The minister, therefore, urged the media to cross check and confirm from him, any rumoured case of Ebola anywhere in the country before going to the press in order to reduce fear and panic.
On the issue of fake hand sanitizers and gloves allegedly being sold to unsuspecting members of the public, the minister said the ministry of health had directed the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control to begin investigation and bring all the culprits to book.
He said, “NAFDAC will continue to monitor but we strongly believe that the fake versions of hand sanitizers were being produced locally by some people and sell to innocent people.
“NAFDAC will continue to do their job and we hope that very soon, those perpetrating the crime will be arrested and prosecuted.”
In another development, Cameroon has shut its sea border with Nigeria possibly as a precautionary step to check the spread of the dreaded Ebola virus.
Our correspondent observed on Saturday at the Nigeria Inland Waterways Jetty in Calabar, Cross River State, that stranded passengers were unable to get vessel to ferry them to Cameroon.
Authorities of the NIWA jetty refused to comment on the development.
However, the passengers, who wore disappointing looks on their faces, were seen discussing in clusters.
Those who volunteered to speak after much pressure said they were instructed by security personnel at the Inland Waterways not to speak to the press about the development.
One of them, Mr. Anthony Obi, appealed to the Federal Government to urgently intervene, noting that the development was going to negatively affect Nigerian traders doing business in Cameroon.
He suggested that the Federal Government should mount an equipped health post along the waterways.
The stranded passenger said such measure would go a long way to assuring the government of Cameroon on the health status of intending Nigerian passengers.
Obi, who could not continue with his trip to Cameroon, had no option than to return back to his Anambra home state.

Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi salutes the crowd in Rumukurushi community, during his ‘meet the people tour of Communities in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, last Tuesday