Ebola: Nigeria on red alert

The Management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has assured Nigerians of adequate surveillance at the nation’s airports following the outbreak of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, FAAN’s Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, saying that there was no direct flight from Congo to Nigeria.

Yakubu also assured that all the preventive measures being put in place at the airports were still in place.

She said that the Port Health officials were at alert at all airports, adding that the authority had also informed them of the need to increase surveillance.

“We don’t have direct flights from Congo, we only have from Rwanda but I want to assure members of the public that we still have all preventive measures in place at our airports.

“There are sanitisers at our arrivals with the scanning apparatus called Thermal scanners being installed by the Port Health Services.

“The scanners have camera monitors that display pictures aside the capturing of temperature.

“Passengers still fill that form to ensure that everybody arriving the country through our airports are not potential carriers of deadly diseases.

“The port health officials are always at alert and we will also inform them of the need to increase their surveillance.

“So, there is no cause for alarm,” she said.

Nigeria experienced the Ebola virus in July, 2014 when a Liberian American, Patrick Sawyer, who had the disease flew from Liberia to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and died five days later.

In response, the Federal Government observed all of Sawyer’s contacts for signs of infection and increased surveillance at all entry points to the country.

Nigeria was able to curtail the disease and was subsequently declared Ebola free by WHO.

About author

You might also like

BREAKING NEWS 0 Comments

Ghana renews support to West African Health Organization

Ghanaian Health minister, Hon Kwaku Agyeman Manu, has pledged more support from Ghana to the West African Health Organization (WAHO) to improve health in the West African region. Receiving  a

FEATURES 0 Comments

Deadly heart conditions to watch

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) claim about 17.3 million lives worldwide each year and the number is rising. It is expected that by 2030, about

Cholera Season is here – Health Advisory

  FG says “Together we can prevent deaths” Cholera is an acute enteric infection characterized by vomiting, profuse dehydration and diarrhea (rice water stools).It is caused by ingestion of gram negative

0 Comments

No Comments Yet!

You can be first to comment this post!

Leave a Reply