Ebola: Kwara govt restricts importation of dead bodies without certificate

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

The Kwara state government has declared that it would not allow importation of dead body into the state without death certificate.

The government which maintained that the killer diseases has not been recorded in the state said special ambulances have been assigned to the three senatorial districts in the state for evacuation of victims of Ebola if eventually the state experience it .

The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Kayode Issa, who stated this during a press briefing in Ilorin, said any person suspected with any of the symptoms of Ebola should be encouraged to visit the nearest health facility.

“Anybody bringing a corpse in body bag should be accompanied by a duly certified death certificate and should notify the Ministry of Health. Avoid eating of bush meat especially bats, monkeys, chimpanzees and others.

“The Kwara State Government has a Rapid Response Committee and an Emergency Preparedness and Response committee in place. These committees have been replicated at the local Government level coordinated by the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer and focal persons at the ward level.

“All General Hospitals have been sensitized and have Ebola management committees in place comprising of doctors, nurses and laboratory personnel.

“The state has personal protective equipment in stock and has placed orders for more. Three Ambulances have been dedicated for the purposes of conveying persons infected with the Ebola Virus to hospital, i.e. 1 per senatorial district.

The Kwara state government said the state is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the disease does not spread to the state.