EBOLA OUTBREAK: Dealing With TheVirus Or Enriching Private Wallet?
Like the dreaded HIV/Aids, the recent outbreak of Ebola Virus has again instills great fears into citizens of Nigeria and Rivers State in particular.
HIV/Aids, though taming the activities of human beings has seriously damaged many lives and also helping the conscious ones to effectively monitor their status, which eventually throw many religious denominations into carrying out series of health test before certain affairs like marriages are contracted or solemnized.
HIV/Aids, though undermined by certain group of individuals came with full scale force that citizens are afraid to survive the next day, but its catastrophic nature has aided in checkmating the excesses of man globally.
But contrary to the case of HIV/Aids, the Ebola Virus emerges with an uncontrollable speed to the fear and confusion of mankind.
Ebola Virus had been in existence since 1976 but its outbreak in less than 3 months ago becomes an issue of grave concern to the Rivers People in Particular, Nigerians and African continent in general, as the Rivers State Government is making frantic effort to curb the effect of the killer disease.
The disease which was first discovered in Lagos State Nigeria was reportedly imported through a Liberian citizen. He was swallowed by the disease occasion on Doctors inability to combat it for lack of treatment vaccines. It was however sadden when the physician in charge of the victim gave up the ghost also on the reason for lack of vaccines.
It could be recalled that, the Ebola cases in Lagos State where the Virus was first noticed was far less than Rivers State irrespective of the populated nature of Lagos State, thereby imposing doubts amongst the citizenry of the genuine status of the disease in the State.
Dr. Iyke Enemou and another patient who were admitted in the same clinic with the late Doctor also died of the Ebola Virus.
According to Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker, “the virus which got into the State through one Olu-Ibukun koye, a Nigerian protocol officer with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is being effectively managed”.
The death of another woman suspected to have symptoms of the same virus was however regretted by government; hence reason for the invitation of those who had contact with the Late Dr. Enemou.
But the Health Commissioner, Parker was reportedly quoted as saying that the State Government has covered about 98% percent of the 360 people who had Primary and Secondary contacts with the late Dr. Enemou.
It is also on the Rivers State record that the federal minister of Health Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu has scored the State high for its preparations to tackle the scourge after inspecting the State quarantine isolated centre.
In as much as the disease must be eradicated, such initial amount said to have been released by the State Government was smilingly outrageous knowing that the vaccines or drugs for Ebola is yet to come by , therefore let not the State confers be emptied before the expected cure, vaccines for the disease, otherwise the State would be forced to go for another billion naira loan.
The State Governor Rotimi Amaechi while expressing his administration’s commitment to fighting the deadly disease said the government is ready to overcome the disease. The Governor during a visit by the Director of the World Health Organization, Rui Vaz, thanked the World Health Organization for rendering assistance to the state in fighting the disease.
Worried by the continuous and increasing cases of the disease in the State even in the midst of the Three-Hundred Million naira (N300m) made available to fight the virus,Citizens of the State are confused on the time nature of disease in the State, even as the State is afraid to resume the schools on the proposed September 22nd by the Federal Government.
If the government at the State level is containing the disease as claimed, and the huge sum voted into fighting the scourge, why would they defy schools resumptions as envisaged by the Federal Government?
It is however advised that, the authority concerned should jettison the gains to be made out of the killer virus and concentrate on saving the lives of those in danger as well as those likely to be affected. By this act, they may be tackling the scourge other than scheming after what they could gain from the dreaded epidemic. ###
With James Mgboineme
Jamesprojectgodwin@yahoo.com.
