The Lagos State Government on Sunday said it was
finalising arrangements to deploy some health workers
who helped in the containment of the Ebola Virus Disease
(EVD) in the state to Sierra Leone.
The Governor, Babatunde Fashola, made the announcement
in Ikeja while speaking at a programme to commemorate
the 2,700 days of his administration in office.
The governor said the health workers were to replicate the
state’s containment strategies in Sierra-Leone.
Mr. Fashola said although Nigeria was, as of now, free
from the disease, there was still the risk of new infections
from cross-border movements.
He, therefore, said the state’s planned mission to Sierra
Leone was not only to assist the country to overcome the
great health challenge, but also reduce the risk of the
disease to countries within the sub-region.
Sierra Leone accounts for a substantial number of the over
4,000 global Ebola deaths.
“Lagos is free from Ebola, Nigeria is free from Ebola. But
that does not mean there cannot be another case. For as
long as people are moving from countries to countries, the
risk of infections is still there,” Mr. Fashola said.
“That is why I appeal to the Federal Government to
continue to scrutinise people travelling into Nigeria from
land, sea and air from regions where the problem is still
ravaging.
“That is why some of the things the commissioner for
health will be announcing very soon is the arrangements
we are making to send some of our health workers and
volunteers to go and help out in Sierra Leone.
“That is the only way we, the whole of Africa and the
World can be safe.”
The governor expressed optimism that EVD, just like other
infectious diseases like Cholera that had once ravaged
humanity without remedy, would soon get a cure.
He said Nigerians needed not live in fear of the disease
coming back into the country but urged them to take
precautions that would guard against new infections in the
country.
Mr. Fashola said the state government had taken a number
of initiatives to prevent a return of Ebola in the state.
Some of the strategies, according to him, include the
deployment of screening equipment to schools and hospitals
and the construction of sanitary facilities in schools.
Others are training and retraining of personnel on
infectious diseases diagnosis and the sensitisation of
residents on how to be safe from the problem.
Mr. Fashola also announced that he had appointed Dr
Oluwakemi Sekoni his Scientific Adviser as a move to
enhance better response to Ebola disease and other
infectious ailments.
The governor said the responsibilities of the new adviser
would include providing public information about
infectious diseases for effective response.
Others are actions and co-ordinating science-based
research on food sufficiency, air pollution and helping in
all other things that were likely to improve the general
wellbeing of Lagos residents.
“Today, I am announcing the appointment of Dr.
Oluwakemi Sekoni as my Chief Scientific Adviser. She
would be presented at a formal induction ceremony
shortly,” he said.
Reeling out some of his achievements in the last 100 days,
Mr. Fashola said the Mainland Power Plant which would
supply interrupted power to government facilities in
mainland area was completed within the period.
He said the government also inaugurated a Power Academy
that would train people on all aspects of electricity
generation, distribution and transmission and help improve
the power sector.
Mr. Fashola said the government also trained no fewer
than 3,000 farmers on various aspects of agriculture and
supported them with items to support their businesses.
He said work was speeded up at the 70-gallon Adiyan
Water Works to improve water supply in the state. (NAN)
finalising arrangements to deploy some health workers
who helped in the containment of the Ebola Virus Disease
(EVD) in the state to Sierra Leone.
The Governor, Babatunde Fashola, made the announcement
in Ikeja while speaking at a programme to commemorate
the 2,700 days of his administration in office.
The governor said the health workers were to replicate the
state’s containment strategies in Sierra-Leone.
Mr. Fashola said although Nigeria was, as of now, free
from the disease, there was still the risk of new infections
from cross-border movements.
He, therefore, said the state’s planned mission to Sierra
Leone was not only to assist the country to overcome the
great health challenge, but also reduce the risk of the
disease to countries within the sub-region.
Sierra Leone accounts for a substantial number of the over
4,000 global Ebola deaths.
“Lagos is free from Ebola, Nigeria is free from Ebola. But
that does not mean there cannot be another case. For as
long as people are moving from countries to countries, the
risk of infections is still there,” Mr. Fashola said.
“That is why I appeal to the Federal Government to
continue to scrutinise people travelling into Nigeria from
land, sea and air from regions where the problem is still
ravaging.
“That is why some of the things the commissioner for
health will be announcing very soon is the arrangements
we are making to send some of our health workers and
volunteers to go and help out in Sierra Leone.
“That is the only way we, the whole of Africa and the
World can be safe.”
The governor expressed optimism that EVD, just like other
infectious diseases like Cholera that had once ravaged
humanity without remedy, would soon get a cure.
He said Nigerians needed not live in fear of the disease
coming back into the country but urged them to take
precautions that would guard against new infections in the
country.
Mr. Fashola said the state government had taken a number
of initiatives to prevent a return of Ebola in the state.
Some of the strategies, according to him, include the
deployment of screening equipment to schools and hospitals
and the construction of sanitary facilities in schools.
Others are training and retraining of personnel on
infectious diseases diagnosis and the sensitisation of
residents on how to be safe from the problem.
Mr. Fashola also announced that he had appointed Dr
Oluwakemi Sekoni his Scientific Adviser as a move to
enhance better response to Ebola disease and other
infectious ailments.
The governor said the responsibilities of the new adviser
would include providing public information about
infectious diseases for effective response.
Others are actions and co-ordinating science-based
research on food sufficiency, air pollution and helping in
all other things that were likely to improve the general
wellbeing of Lagos residents.
“Today, I am announcing the appointment of Dr.
Oluwakemi Sekoni as my Chief Scientific Adviser. She
would be presented at a formal induction ceremony
shortly,” he said.
Reeling out some of his achievements in the last 100 days,
Mr. Fashola said the Mainland Power Plant which would
supply interrupted power to government facilities in
mainland area was completed within the period.
He said the government also inaugurated a Power Academy
that would train people on all aspects of electricity
generation, distribution and transmission and help improve
the power sector.
Mr. Fashola said the government also trained no fewer
than 3,000 farmers on various aspects of agriculture and
supported them with items to support their businesses.
He said work was speeded up at the 70-gallon Adiyan
Water Works to improve water supply in the state. (NAN)
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