Cautious Optimism As WHO Declares Nigeria Ebola Free Today

              

Ahead of the World Health Organization, WHO, declaration of Nigeria as an Ebola Virus Disease free country today, Nigerians have called for extension of the leadership shown in the Ebola containment to other areas of national development, particularly, the troubled health sector.

Last week, the global health body, had given notification of its intention to officially declare Nigeria Ebola free today following the none detection of new Ebola cases in the country after the requisite 42 days of active surveillance.

The announcement which is expected to be made by WHO subcommittee on surveillance, epidemiology, and laboratory testing is eagerly being awaited by not just Nigerians but the entire world.

Just last Friday, the WHO declared Senegal Ebola free nation and commended the prompt and efficient response to the epidemic.

Reacting to the development in Lagos, some stakeholders in the health sector who hailed the much awaited recognition however warned that while celebrating the new status of Ebola free nation there is need not to relent in the fight against the dreaded disease.

They also reminded the Federal Government not to forget some Nigerians who paid the ultimate price in order to make Nigeria Ebola free.

In his views, Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Prof. Innocent Ujah pointed out that the strategy put in place and leadership brought to bear led to the containment of Ebola in Nigeria.

Ujah called for extension of the commitment to other healthcare services.

His words, “Also, one thing that we should not forget is that unless we continue with research we would not go anywhere. We should not relent in our jubilation over the declaration. We should not forget that this Ebola virus can come back again. So we must be in position of preparedness so that not just Ebola but all other outbreak of diseases can be curtained.

“I advise that Nigerians should continue to practice good hygiene lifestyle and they must have confidence in the medical doctors to be able to render quality health service as it was demonstrated during Ebola saga in which America want to come and learn from us how we did our contact tracing and eventually contain the outbreak. The sensitisation must not stop,”he stated.