The Lagos State Government has said that the patients in the isolation facilities in the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, are being given adequate medical attention.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who stated this at a press briefing in Lagos, on Friday, said the state government had not received a penny from the N1.9bn intervention fund approved by the Federal Government to fight Ebola in Nigeria.
He said, “This is a collaborative effort between the federal, state governments and other foreign partners. As of now, we have yet to receive a penny from the central government.
“All the money spent on the health of the Ebola victims were funds released by Governor Babatunde Fashola. Perhaps the Federal Government will release it later. But for now, we are grateful for the technical support the Federal Government has given us in the fight against the virus.”
Idris, who addressed the briefing in the company of the commissioners for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed; Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba; and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, argued that the treatment of Ebola virus was different from the treatment of other ailments.
He said, “To give the confirmed Ebola cases a chance to live, they have to be properly managed. Our major challenge in this regard is personnel with requisite expertise. Hence our call for volunteers.
“We require experts in different medical fields including critical care and infectious diseases and these still need to be trained using the World Health Organisation protocol, which may require up to five days of committed training before such experts can apply their skills safely without risk to themselves.”
He added that the facility at the infection control centre had a 40-bed complex with male and female wards for confirmed cases; eight-bed isolation ward for suspected cases, with two emergency tents to hold additional 24 suspected cases.
He said though four people had so far lost their lives in the country including Ebola carrier to Nigeria, Patrick Sawyer, there was no reason to panic as the federal and state governments, in partnership with development partners and well-meaning individuals were working to contain the scourge.
PUNCH
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