With reported cases of fresh outbreak of the Ebola disease in some African countries, the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Health to enhance surveillance at all points of entry into Nigeria, with a view to responding to any suspected case.
The have reported cases of the disease recently in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Guinea.
The House in a resolution on a motion presented by Hon. Unyime Idem on Wednesday also mandated the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Information, to create awareness on deadly viral disease.
While further mandating the Federal Ministry of Health to work with the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO) and World Health Organisation on strategies to bring the Ebola outbreak under control, as well as provide regular updates on preparedness, containment and response measures, the House has directed its committee on health to ensure the resolution is complied with, by the relevant agencies.
Recalling the feat with which the Nigerian government responded and contained the disease in 2014, Idem said “unfortunately, on February 7, 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo had again announced a resurface of a new case of the Ebola virus, months after the outbreak was declared over in the region. In the same vein, on Sunday, February 14, 2021, Guinea’s ministry of health also declared an Ebola outbreak, following the mysterious death of three persons”.
He said it was on record that in the last one year, “we have experienced two waves of infections and recorded a lot of fatalities. Today, Nigeria Health institutions have been stretched beyond its capacity in the past one year and cannot afford to witness another outbreak of dreaded virus”, thus the need for surveillance and enlightenment of citizens.