Osun State Government has resolved to broaden public consciousness campaigns on Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, together with multilingual radio and tv broadcasts, as a part of efforts to forestall the illness from spreading into the state.
The resolution was reached at a gathering of the State Steering Committee on Ebola Virus Disease, the place stakeholders reviewed the state’s preparedness and response measures.
A report of the assembly, ready by the Public Health Operations Centre within the Osun State Ministry of Health outlined a number of measures to strengthen illness prevention, surveillance and emergency response.
The committee recognized public sensitisation, the supply of a chosen emergency isolation facility, improved coordination on the native authorities degree and the coaching of healthcare employees as precedence areas requiring pressing consideration.
According to the report, “the state government is expected to reclaim, prepare and open its designated emergency isolation facility within one week to strengthen its capacity to manage suspected Ebola cases.
“The state is to reclaim, prepare and open the designated facility within one week,” the report stated.
The report also recommended that Ebola preparedness coordination meetings be replicated across local government areas with the participation of Local Government Rapid Response Teams.
The committee also called on the Ministry of Health to commence capacity-building activities for healthcare responders, beginning with existing master trainers, and arrange dedicated emergency ambulances to support the transportation of suspected cases.
To improve public understanding of the disease, the report recommended expanding health education jingles and broadcast materials in Hausa and other local languages, alongside the planned Yoruba-language communication.
“Health promotion teams are to expand educational jingles and broadcast materials in Hausa and other local languages, in addition to the planned Yoruba-language communication,” the report stated.
The committee recommended the establishment of holding bays in selected hospitals, the replenishment of essential protective supplies, stronger disease surveillance and improved coordination among rapid-response teams.
It also called for greater engagement with private healthcare practitioners to support early detection and appropriate reporting of suspected cases.
On funding and implementation, the report stressed the need for emergency financial support, timely executive approvals, adequate resources and clearly assigned responsibilities.
It stated that the effectiveness of the agreed measures would depend on regular monitoring by the State Steering Committee.
“The agreed actions provide a framework for strengthening the state’s preparedness and response capacity. Timely approvals, sufficient resources and consistent monitoring would be necessary to implement the recommendations,” it acknowledged.
Osun authorities’s preparations come amid a Federal Government directive urging hospitals nationwide to arrange isolation beds and strengthen an infection prevention and management measures towards Ebola.
The Federal Government has additionally warned that 15 states are but to replace their response plans as authorities intensify efforts to strengthen the nation’s readiness to include the outbreak.
