FG, Lagos disagree on new Ebola cases

The Federal and Lagos State governments, yesterday, differed on new suspected cases of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, in the country.

While the Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu insisted that there were no new cases of the EVD in Nigeria, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health Dr. Jide Idris told reporters that five new suspected cases of Ebola have been recorded in the state.
President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the release of N200 million to the Lagos State Government to assist in containment of the spread of the disease.
At a briefing in Lagos, Idris announced that there were five new cases among which were two secondary contacts and three primary contacts  with the index  (first) case.

The commissioner said the suspected cases had been put at the Ebola isolation ward of the Mainland Hospital, Lagos, without any application of Nano Silver drug and that they would be monitored for the 21-day incubation period of the virus.  “To date we have eight suspected cases and five of them came in yesterday. We have 12 confirmed cases and on the whole, five have died. We are currently following up 213 contacts and 62 have completed the 21-day follow-up.

‘The Ministry of Health commiserates with their families, co-workers, friends and loved ones on these irreparable losses on the line of duty.”

Making the confirmation in a press statement, the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu said as at 7:00 PM today, (Wednesday), there is no other confirmed Ebola Virus Disease case in Nigeria outside the two that are currently under treatment at the isolation ward in Lagos.

Chukwu said the clarification became necessary following media reports of five new cases in Lagos State. According to him, “This report should be disregarded.”

He reiterated that any doubtful information on the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria should be verified from the Office of the Minister of Health who has the sole authority to announce confirmed cases as far as disease epidemics in Nigeria are concerned.

The minister further reassured the public that any new confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease will be announced by his office promptly.

His words: “The latest death occurred Tuesday evening, and that is the death of the most senior doctor, Senior Consultant/Physician and Endocrinologist at First Consultant Hospital in Lagos, Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh.

“Regrettably she lost her life to Ebola virus. Of course she contacted the disease from the Liberian-American who exported the disease to Nigeria in the course of treating that patient.

“Indeed she had to physically restrain this infected person  from escaping from the hospital when the latter attempted to do so, having been communicated that he was Ebola-positive.

“Indeed, if that index case had escaped hospital at that stage it would have spelt disaster for Nigeria as many more persons would have been very difficult to track; and could have become primary contacts.

“There is no doubt that Dr. Adadevoh  was not only a dedicated, committed and competent doctor, but she showed rare courage, rare sense of duty, service and patriotism to her country.”

Chukwu also enjoined the media to be cautious in reportage of Ebola cases in order not to cause unnecessary tension in the country.

“We appeal that when you are inviting anybody who is supposed to be an expert, especially at this time of national emergency, you may do well  to seek our confirmation on whether the person is indeed an expert.

“We also want to state that some of the editorials we are seeing even today in some of the national  dailies, is an emotional thing quite alright, but we plead with the media to stay the course. For newspapers to say the Federal Government has been tardy in its response and has not addressed the issues at this time when the World Health Organization, the American government, the USCentre for Disease Control and the generality of Nigerians are commending government, I think it does not speak well of some of our media.

“Inciting the public against the Federal Government because we are emotionally connected to people who are today infected or had been infected of ebola virus disease will not help us as a country.

“The Government of Nigeria has done well, our health professionals even at the risk of their lives are participating in Lagos in managing this situation have done well. The doctors and nurses who work at First Consultants Hospital Lagos, we praise their courage; they have done well. The least we can do is to encourage others, some of whom intend to volunteer, to continue with the care until such a time this is brought under control.

“So all the editorials today are certainly in bad taste. We know they come from personal feelings but this is not the time for emotional outbursts. There is nothing the government has not done, no stone has been left unturned” he said.
He appealed that those who have been discharged should not be stigmatised because they don’t pose a threat to the society any longer.
The late Senior Consultant/Endocrinologist of First Consultant Medical Centre, Lagos, Dr.  Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, did not only stop the late American-Liberian and index (first) Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, case Mr Patrick Sawyer from attending the ECOWAS meeting in Calabar, Cross River State, but took the initiative to promptly report his situation to the Lagos State Government.

Idris, who disclosed this in Lagos yesterday during a media update, said it was at the instance of the late medical doctor, who was a primary contact to Sawyer and substantially to her credit, that the moderate containment achieved of the deadly EVD in the country is owed.

“It was gathered that Sawyer insisted on being discharged from the hospital, apparently to attend an ECOWAS meeting in Calabar, Cross River State but Adadevoh, widely described as affectionate, insisted he stayed.

“She immediately contacted Lagos State Ministry of Health which took over the case. Had Adadevoh discharged Sawyer according to his wish, he would certainly have infected more Nigerians at the Calabar meeting, if he had managed to make it to the venue.

“He could have infected more people  at the airport, on his local flight, in the hotel and at the meeting. This could have led to an unimaginable spread of the disease,” he noted.

Idris who  disclosed that five more people with suspected symptoms had been recorded and taken in, described Adedevoh‘s death as unfortunate as she had contact with the Liberian victim, unaware of his status.

“Adadevoh’s prompt action saved Nigeria from a national disaster. She led the team that attended to the index case. Her doggedness and commitment to duty saw her personally reviewing the case even though the patient had earlier been seen by another doctor.

“No doubt, she and the other health workers are the heroes and heroines of the day. The Ministry of Health commiserates with their families, co-workers, friends and loved ones on these irreparable losses which was on the line of duty,” he remarked.

Expressing government’s condolences to the families of the deceased doctor, he described her as a heroine of the fight against the disease.
Idris explained that government was currently shifting from primary to secondary contacts tracing to track down more possible patients.

He said the state government, together with  other partners would continue to do its best to ensure effective containment of the disease, saying that more vehicles have been procured as well as personnel.

Idris cautioned against panic but urged the public to take necessary measures against the disease.

The commissioner advised against unprotected contacts with corpses, monkeys and other primary sources of the disease.
Calling for vigilance, he explained that human-to-human transmission was only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely ill from the Ebola virus.

Idris said there is no special treatment for Ebola victims as those who had been successfully treated were treated based on the symptoms they manifested.

On why some patients died and others survived, the commissioner said chances of survival depended on the immune systems of the affected people, and the timing and quality of treatment.

“The survival of patients depend on how early the patient is able to access treatment and that is why we keep begging people not to hide at home, do not keep yourself as soon as you start developing symptoms.

“Apart from this the chances of survival also depend on the innate immune system of patients, and the efficacy of immunity is also dependent on the age.

“A 27year-old person is in better position to fight any disease than a 50 year-old and a 60 year old because of age.
“Ebola is not a death sentence, if patients come in for treatments early, they stand a higher chance of survival. I encourage the private health sector to further co-operate with the government and promptly report any suspected case. The need for basic universal precaution and barrier nursing should be uppermost. The government is also prepared to ensure that your businesses enjoy an on-going concern status.” – Vanguard.