Ebola: Minister confirms 2 Nigerians ‘positive’ in Sierra Leone

By Doyin Ojosipe

Two Nigerians resident in Sierra Leon have tested positive to the Ebola virus disease, the Supervising Minister of Health have said.

The Minister , Dr Khaliru Alhassan, while briefing press men at Uyo, the Akwa Ibom capital, during the just-concluded National Council on Health meeting, explained that both infected patients have been on treatment at the isolation centre in Sierra Leone, adding that one of them seem to have recovered after treatment and have also returned to Nigeria.

According to him, Sierra Leone health officials have officially informed the Nigerian health ministry after confirming the patients’ health status as positive.

Dr. Alhassan appealed to countries still treating Ebola to try and improve on their surveillance and quarantine network, so that patients confirmed with the disease will not escape to other countries.

He further stated that though Nigeria will not close its border against international travelers, the country will continue to do its best by not resting on its oars, but being extra vigilant at the surveillance centres set across the borders.

The Minister for health also disclosed that the Nigerian Government has donated about $3.5 million to the course of fighting the disease in the sub region, adding that about 600 health workers have been trained as volunteers to be deployed to the Ebola stricken regions to help in treatment.

He also said that drugs and anti-Ebola supplies worth N50 million have been given as donation to the Sierra Leone government by the federal government.

Nigeria had once been hit by the Ebola Virus disease, when a Liberian American, Patrick Sawyer visited the country on s supposed foreign mission.

However, the country was able to manage the outbreak, after series of quarantine and isolation, and was officially certified Ebola-free by the World Health Organization on the 20th October, 2014.