After two years of Ebola epidemic that killed at least 11,000 people and triggered a global health alert, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on January 14 declared that the world is now free of the disease. Liberia, the last stronghold of the epidemic, was given a clean bill of health. The cheering news is, indeed, worth celebrating but the world must remain vigilant to avoid a resurgence.
The great milestone was hailed by the WHO Chief of Emergency Risk Management, Rick Brenan, who however pointed out that “the job is still not done” as there were already “10 small flare-ups” of the disease because of the persistence of the virus in the survivors.
The United Nations boss, Ban Ki-Moon, also explained that the region can expect sporadic cases in the coming year but stressed that “we also expect the potential and frequency of those flare-ups to decrease over time.”
The Ebola epidemic reportedly wrecked the economies of the three worst-hit West African nations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The disease broke out in Southern Guinea in December 2013.
Nigeria had its first Ebola case on July 20, 2014 when the index case, the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, brought the disease to the country. The disease claimed the lives of about 19 Nigerians including that of Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh. The country was certified Ebola-free on October 20, 2014 and we celebrated our first year of Ebola-free status on October 2015. Nigeria and the whole of West Africa should, therefore, work hard to maintain this Ebola-free status through continuous education of citizens on its causes and the strict implementation of preventive measures.
According to medical experts, Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) or Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and also spreads in the human population through contact with the body fluids of infected persons.
We welcome the good news on the end of the Ebola epidemic. At the same time, we urge Nigeria and other countries that were affected by the disease to continue to guard against it. They should neither relent nor be complacent in ensuring that the disease does not rear its head in West Africa again. There is a possibility that Ebola can resurface at any time but the good news is that it can be overcome if there is an adequate healthcare system in place.
Apart from being on the alert, we need to intensify public enlightenment campaigns on the disease, especially on the need to maintain personal hygiene and to avoid unnecessary contact with fluids from the bodies of other persons.
We must be vigilant and make healthy living habits our way of life. Let all the State Ministries of Health work in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Health, development agencies and foreign donors to ensure that the disease does not resurface in Nigeria again. They should not rest on their oars. The world should also continue the efforts to get a definite cure for the disease.
We urge the government to double its effort on the fast-spreading Lassa fever in the country. Let the disease be tackled the same way we fought and won the war against Ebola. We say this because the way the Lassa fever is spreading is indicative of lax surveillance.
Efforts should also be intensified on getting a vaccine for Ebola. Much work should have been in this regard and the world must not relent because this particular epidemic is over. The WHO should play a leading role in ensuring that this objective is achieved.
Nigeria was one of the eight African countries listed for the commencement of clinical trials of a vaccine for Ebola last year. Let the WHO, development partners and donor agencies assist resource-poor countries to develop their national health systems to be able to deal such epidemics.