Nigerian hospitals urged to strengthen Ebola preparedness
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
The Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Consultants is calling on authorities to reopen isolation centres, strengthen surveillance and improve hospital preparedness after confirmation of a case of Bundibugyo Ebola. It also recommends contact screening, laboratory capacity and cooperation at borders, according to its communications secretary Taiwo Alatishe.
The Association of Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria (MDCAN) has called on the federal and state governments to activate isolation centres and strengthen surveillance and hospital preparedness, following confirmation of a case of Bundibugyo virus disease in Nigeria. It also recommends intensifying contact tracing and laboratory diagnostic capacity, according to Nigerian daily Punch.
In a statement issued on Thursday, MDCAN president Apollos Ndukuba said the country’s large population, the mobility of its residents and the fragility of its health system required a coordinated response. He called for emergency operations centres and health services at points of entry to be reactivated, and for healthcare workers to be trained in infection prevention measures. Hospitals should have running water, protective equipment, diagnostic materials and designated reception areas.
Ndukuba also called for health workers to receive risk allowances and insurance cover. He recalled that the disease’s case fatality rate can range from 25% to 90%, while expressing confidence in Nigeria’s ability to contain the outbreak, notably thanks to the experience gained during the 2014 episode.
The call comes amid a series of measures announced after a case was confirmed in a traveller on 23 October. MDCAN joins screening recommendations issued the previous day for Nigerian hospitals as part of the fight against Bundibugyo Ebola.
