Nigeria has the capability to comprise the Ebola outbreak, however specialists have known as for higher communication, stronger illness surveillance and improved coordination to stop additional unfold.
Speaking throughout an interview with Arise News on Thursday, Dr Olayinka Ilesanmi, an epidemiologist and former West Africa Regional Programme Lead for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, stated Nigeria had skilled personnel and the expertise wanted to handle the outbreak. Professor Adamu Akyala, a Professor of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, raised considerations about gaps within the nation’s surveillance system, significantly in non-public hospitals and speak to tracing.
Nigeria Has The Capacity To Curb Ebola
Ilesanmi stated Nigeria was doing properly in its response however wanted to deal with inconsistencies in data coming from officers and associate organisations.
He stated conflicting accounts of the index case’s journey historical past may undermine public confidence, stressing the necessity to confirm data earlier than sharing it with the general public.
“The communication has to be centralized,” he stated, including that data from the Africa CDC, well being authorities and different companions wanted to be aligned.
Ilesanmi stated Nigeria had skilled subject epidemiologists and different personnel whose expertise from earlier outbreaks may help the present response.
He additionally known as for stronger collaboration between Nigeria, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and different related events to ascertain the index case’s journey historical past and establish further contacts.
“There is a need for cross-border collaboration,” he stated, including that airways and illness management authorities ought to work collectively to ascertain the passenger’s actions and attainable exposures.
Akyala Faults Surveillance Gaps
Akyala stated the index case’s actions by way of a global airport and a number of healthcare amenities highlighted weaknesses in Nigeria’s illness surveillance system.
He stated the lady had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Uganda earlier than flying to Abuja, the place she encountered folks on the airport and later visited a number of medical amenities earlier than her prognosis was confirmed.
According to Akyala, the case uncovered gaps within the identification and monitoring of people that may need come into contact with the affected person.
“Our surveillance system is not active,” he stated, arguing {that a} stronger system ought to have recognized extra contacts linked to the worldwide flight and the healthcare amenities the affected person visited.
Akyala additionally questioned the emphasis on public hospitals in present surveillance practices, saying non-public healthcare amenities wanted to be extra successfully included.
“It is on record that most of our surveillance system tools tend to focus more on public hospitals than on private hospitals,” he stated.
He known as for a shift in the direction of surveillance techniques that cowl each non-public and public hospitals, noting that the index circumstances related to Ebola in 2014, COVID-19 and the present Ebola outbreak had concerned non-public healthcare amenities.
Experts Call For Vaccine Investment And Public Awareness
Akyala stated Nigeria wanted to put money into vaccine analysis and growth, significantly for illnesses that have an effect on the nation and different elements of Africa.
He recalled that Nigeria beforehand produced yellow fever vaccines however had not recovered that capability, calling for a presidential initiative to help vaccine growth and encourage Nigerian scientists working overseas to return.
He additionally argued that Ebola shouldn’t be handled as completely an African drawback as a result of worldwide journey may facilitate its unfold past the continent.
On whether or not the federal government ought to ban public gatherings, Akyala stated such a measure was not needed in the intervening time.
“No need to place a ban for now,” he stated, advocating elevated public consciousness and more practical communication as an alternative.
Ilesanmi equally cautioned towards extreme reactions, urging Nigerians to hunt medical consideration when folks round them develop signs that would point out Ebola.
He stated signs comparable to fever, extreme headache, physique weak spot, vomiting and diarrhoea shouldn’t be managed at dwelling when Ebola is a priority.
He additionally urged non secular leaders to direct sick folks to hospitals for evaluation moderately than relying solely on prayer or dwelling care.
Ilesanmi harassed that common handwashing with cleaning soap and water and correct hygiene remained essential measures for decreasing the chance of an infection.
Both specialists emphasised the significance of coordinated communication, efficient surveillance and public consciousness as Nigeria works to comprise the outbreak and establish individuals who might have been uncovered to the virus.
Ademide Adebayo
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