By Barth Ikiebe
The Nigerian government is consulting relevant experts on whether to restrict large gatherings following the confirmation of an Ebola disease case in the country.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, disclosed this on Thursday during a news briefing on the Ebola situation in Abuja.
He noted that the government had not imposed any ban on large political gatherings following the confirmed case.
The Health Minister said the government would consult relevant experts and base any decision to restrict large gatherings on scientific evidence and public health considerations.
“At this moment, there is no indication that requires us to alter the course of large gatherings that have been planned,” Pate noted.
According to him, “But if the situation changes, we’ll make a determination. We’ll consult broadly with the right experts and make that determination.”
Pate urged Nigerians to rely on information from credible health experts, warning against the spread of rumours and misinformation about the outbreak.
He also cautioned political leaders against politicising the public health situation, stressing that health was an issue that united Nigerians across political, ethnic and religious divides.
“Whatever decisions that will be made will be purely based on public health scientific considerations, evidence, and what is considered the best interest of the Nigerian public,” he said.
On Tuesday, Pate confirmed an Ebola disease case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that 44 close contacts had been identified for tracing to prevent further transmission.
Pate said the patient was a woman who had recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
According to him, she was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.
On Wednesday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said the Ebola case diagnosed in the FCT involved a diplomat whose condition had deteriorated into “multi-organ failure”.
The NCDC also disclosed that the Ebola case detected in Nigeria was caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which is behind a major outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Ebola: Nigeria Considers Ban On Large Gatherings
