Ebola: south-east Nigerian states prepare isolation centres
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
States in south-east Nigeria are strengthening surveillance against Ebola after a case was detected in Abuja, with no confirmed cases in the region. Abia is preparing isolation centres and seeking funds to buy protective equipment, while Enugu and Anambra are stepping up screening, Vanguard reports.
The states of Abia, Enugu and Anambra in south-east Nigeria are strengthening health surveillance and preparing isolation centres amid the risk of Ebola spreading after a case was confirmed in Abuja. No cases have been confirmed in the three states, the Nigerian daily Vanguard reports.
Abia state is preparing, in particular, to equip its isolation centres and is seeking funds to purchase personal protective equipment, thermometers and disinfectants. The infectious diseases hospital in Aba is nearing completion, while the isolation centre at a specialist hospital in Umuahia is being refurbished, said Blossom Uma-Kalu, permanent secretary at Abia’s Ministry of Health, quoted by Vanguard.
The authorities have placed health workers and teams deployed at the borders on alert. They are also stepping up monitoring of suspected cases, public awareness and infection prevention and control measures.
These preparations extend national measures taken after Nigeria activated tracing and isolation, announced on 21 October. Nigerian hospitals were also called on to strengthen screening for Ebola virus disease on 22 October.
