The World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and his administration for being pro-active and successfully combating the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in the StateSpeaking during a courtesy visit to the Governor at the State House, Ikeja, on Thursday, WHO Country Director, Dr Rui Vana Gaz said he and his team had come to transmit the compliment and high recognition of the top hierarchy of WHO to the state government for the excellent leadership the governor provided in containing the Ebola Virus Disease.
Gaz stated that the world body was happy with the way the state established the Isolation Ward with the necessary support and that WHO also offered its support by deploying its staffs to support the Isolation Centre, supplying Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) and resource mobilisation.
While echoing the view of Fashola at some of the meetings held on the EVD about some missed opportunities which aided the importation of the disease, Gaz said Nigeria must avoid any form of complacency to ensure that there is no other case.
He also called for support from the media and other stakeholders on sustained sensitisation of the citizenry about the Ebola Virus Disease adding that recent research showed that a sizeable number of people who came into a treatment centre never knew anything about the disease.
He also urged the state to ensure that the schools in the state are fully prepared, parents being sensitised on what they should do concerning the personal hygiene of their children before schools are re-opened.
Responding to the commendations and inputs, Fashola assured that the state would not be complacent about the gains made in containing the disease.
According to the governor, there is no room for complacency in the state because as long as some parts of the West African sub-region still have cases of Ebola, along with the ECOWAS protocol guaranteeing free movement, Nigeria and Lagos state still stands at a risk.
He added that what this calls for is the putting in place of an enlarged capacity to contain such outbreaks in the future while also using the opportunity to make improved sanitation a way of life for the average resident of the state.
“Until all our brothers in the West African sub-region gain effective control against the spread of Ebola Virus Disease, we are still very much at risk and we intend to internalize the lessons learnt from the Ebola Virus issue for tomorrow,” he stated .
The Governor while responding to a remark by the WHO Country Representative that Lagos must ensure that the schools are fully prepared before being re-opened informed that coincidentally he and members of the State Executive Council present came to receive the WHO team from a special session of the council meeting convened to determine the issue of resumption date for schools in the light of current realities.
He stressed that the meeting would assess the risk level involved concerning the pupils and preparations in terms of educating the school teachers themselves about safeguarding the children.
Fashola explained that the question of whether a particular selected date of resumption should become sacrosanct should not arise but should rather be determined by scientific realities.
He said Lagos State on its part would take cognisance of all the factors that are involved before taking a decision on the resumption of schools in the state, affirming that if the risks involved are considered very high, the state may not reopen the schools.
He added that the state government would continue to reach out to the World Health Organisation in terms of provision of further training beyond Ebola Virus Disease to the health personnel in the state.
He said for example, the Primary Health Care Centre officials need to be exposed to modern techniques and trainings as they provide the first line of defence against any form of infection and disease.
