Ebola -free: First Consultant Medical Centre to get N50m Grant

As the World Health Organization, Monday, declared Nigeria Ebola Virus Disease, EVD,-free officially, after 42 days of two incubation periods without any new

confirmed cases of the deadly virus, Lagos state government also, on Monday, disclosed various plans to nip in the bud any likelihood outbreak of EVD, saying the state is not out of the wood yet.

The state government also revealed plans to present N50 million to First Consultant Medical Centre, Obalende, where the Index case,Mr Patrick Sawyer died and undisclosed amount to other Ebola causalities and survivors in the state as business support gesture.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this at a joint media conference in Alausa, Ikeja, which had in attendance Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Aderemi Ibirogba, Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed and Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina.

Idris who described the outbreak and the eventual containment of the Ebola in the state and the country as phenomenon, noted that significantly, till date Nigeria has contributed only 0,22 percent and 0.18 percent to global burden of suspected, probable, confirmed cases and deaths respectively.

He explained that 891 cumulative number of contacts were recorded nationally, 365 in Lagos and 526 in Rivers while contacts that completed 21 days follow-up nationally is 890, Lagos 365 and 525 in Rivers and a total of eight deaths recorded in all.

Idris who enumerated various preventive measures to be taken by the state government subsequently, stressed that there was the need to address the economic consequences under following consideration; “Support to affected persons including those alive and N50 million lump sum as business support gesture to First Consultant Medical Centre.

“This is with view to getting people, businesses back on their feet and for businesses to re-secure patronage of their customers.”
Idris emphasized that it was an attempt at compensation but a gesture of goodwill on the part of government