Ebola: Lagos, Ogun, others set up isolation centers for patients

By Daud   Olatunji, , Austin Ogwuda, Festus Ahon, Wole Mosadomi
Apparently worried by the outbreak of the dreaded Ebola virus governor of Lagos state, and his counterparts in Ogun, Delta among others have set up isolation centers to battle and prevent further spread of the deadly disease in their respective states.

LAGOS
During an inspection visit to the Lagos newly built isolation ward for Ebola Virus Disease(EVD), situated at Lagos Mainland Hospital, Yaba area of Lagos yesterday, the State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said that the facility was ready for use, as the state tackles the outbreak of Ebola disease that has claimed two lives.
“The State has a health challenge on her hands and the administration is concerned about the people in terms of their well-being and for the people who have taken leadership to help in containing it. He stated
OGUN
The Ogun State commissioner for health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka disclosed that the state had started training health officials in some local government areas of the state.
Soyinka who further noted that the state was already collaborating with the federal government agencies in the border areas to prevent carriers of the virus from entering the state,however, denied that, the state had recorded Ebola cases.
According   to him, the state had two contacts but they were cleared from the deadly virus disease.
DELTA
Briefing newsmen, chairman of the Committee on Inter-Ministerial Ebola Virus Outbreak Preparedness and Response, Dr. Joseph Otumara named the hospitals to include; Warri Central Hospitals, Ughelli Central Hospital, Sapele Central Hospital and Agbor Central Hospital. Others are Oleh Central Hospital, Eku Baptist Government Hospital and Delta State University Teaching Hospital Oghara.
Otumara who is also the State Commissioner for Health, said the Ebola Virus which has claimed 932 deaths in a total of 1,203 reported cases, has not yet been reported in the State, adding “the State Government is doing its best to stem what happened in Lagos from happening here in Delta State.
Saying that adequate awareness was being created to educate the residents of the State of the Ebola Virus disease, he said “the State Government is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that any suspected case is promptly contained.
NIGER
The Containment Centres in Niger state are to be established in each of the three Senatorial Districts of the state while the Ouarantine Centre is to be established in Min a, the state capital.
The state Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Danladi Ndayebo who told Journalists during a Press Conference in Minna yesterday said the Centres will be properly equipped and stocked with drugs for supportive care in case case of eventual Breakout of the disease in the state.
He however made it clear that for now, no case of the Virus has been reported in any part of the state.
The Commissioner said that because the state shares border with Benin Republic, the state government has also taken measures to work hand in hand with Security Agencies particularly the immigration Service to check the inflow of persons at the border posts.

Ndayebo also disclosed that the state ministry of health is already interfacing with District heads, Local Government and Director of Public Health in the 25 local government areas of the state to create awareness on the dreaded disease.
Already, the state ministry of health has commenced the reactivation of its Rapid Response team to ensure monitoring and supervision in the event of outbreak just as the government has also constituted a 6 man council committee also to sensitise members of the public on the disease.