Amosun puts health workers on red alert over Ebola

From James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

Ogun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun says his government has put all health and other related officials in the border areas of the state on red alert, to forestall the infiltration of the deadly Ebola virus.

He also appealed to doctors to find ways to put an end to the lingering nationwide strike embarked upon by members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

Governor Amosun who made this known in Abeokuta while speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the NMA, Ogun State Chapter, lamented the rate at which human lives are being lost on a daily basis due to the strike.

“We are terribly exposed because we have numerous border towns in our state. All the health officials and other government agents in border areas have been put on red alert to work assiduously to curtail the infiltration of the deadly Ebola virus.

“It is true that the environment is not the way our doctors want; but I want to appeal to them to try as much as possible to avoid strike, because their service is more of service to humanity.

“I’m happy to know that this strike is not about your remuneration but clamour for facilities that will enhance your performance. Let’s endeavour to strike a balance on issues that brought about this strike, for the sake of the lives we are losing daily nationwide”, he said.

The governor who also commissioned the new secretariat of the association, assured that the present administration would remain committed to creating an enabling environment for business in the state to thrive, pointing out that, “we are making efforts to nurture our agriculture to achieve our industrialization dream and encourage Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) in our economic drive.”

Chairman, NMA Ogun state, Dr. Edward Jagun, in his remarks, commended Gov. Amosun for the Health Insurance scheme of his administration, describing it as a scheme that would help achieve better universal health coverage for the people of the state.