Schools can resume Sept 22, Health Minister insists

The Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said that his ministry and other international professionals in the treatment and further spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have nothing against the September 22 resumption date for schools in the country.

The Minister stated this at the briefing on the update on EVD yesterday in Lagos.

He said the schools can resume and there are precautionary measures expected to be put in place.

According to Chukwu, there are no cases of people with active Ebola virus again in the country.

The Minister said:  ”What we have now are surveillance cases. Nobody is receiving treatment for Ebola. There are seven deaths and 12 survivors, and in Lagos, there are 11 contacts and 18 in Port Harcourt.

“There are still some people on surveillance and those will complete the 21-day surveillance.

“This means we have won the battle and not the war. Until those on surveillance complete the 21 days, we cannot say we have seen the end of Ebola in Nigeria.

“We will continue to be on our guard. Enugu and Lagos are free; only Port Harcourt has people on surveillance.

“As professionals, if there are dangers in the further spread of the Ebola virus, we would have spoken with the Ministry of Education on it.

“So there is no need to panic. Parents have been going to markets, churches and mosques with their children. No market or religious place has been shut down due to Ebola. So why won’t schools be allowed to open?”

Chukwu said Nigeria is ready to assist in training of personnel and finances of managing Ebola in other ECOWAS countries.

“since Nigeria was able to manage the Ebola outbreak situation, it is indeed a pass mark that we are up and doing and can assist our neighouring countries in the region in terms of training and finance.

“Already, the Federal Government has committed $3.5m to ECOWAS Ebola intervention fund.”

He warned hospitals and health personnel from rejecting sick people, just as he advised anybody that is sick to go to hospital for treatment.

“By rejecting patients, hospitals’ personnel will be ‘protecting’ themselves, but indirectly will be exposing the larger society to the risk of spread of other sicknesses.

“Likewise, if a sick person does not go to the hospital, such will not be able to know what is really wrong with him. It is only at the hospital that we can make proper diagnoses and declare what is wrong with a person, be it Lassa fever; Denge fever or Ebola.”

Prof Chukwu said nobody should stigmatise or discriminate against anybody that is sick or even treated of Ebola.

“Health workers should continue to adopt the universal precaution. Survivors are willing to share their stories to tell the society that getting Ebola is not a death sentence.

“Quarantine does not mean criminality. It is to help screening the person properly and for adequate treatment should such be positive.”