DR Congo donates 100 pieces of Ebola protective wears to Cameroon
Dr. Victor Njie Mbome, South West Regional Delegate of
Public Health has dispelled rumours that cases of the deadly Ebola Virus have
been discovered in Mamfe and Buea.
It is also alleged that a case of the Ebola fever has been
confirmed in Doaula. While this flying news circulated through text messages
goes on, Health officials have called for caution and increase surveillance.
“Presently, we don’t have any case of Ebola in the South
West Region.it is important to note that. There is a lot of scare and worry.
This is very understandable because people keep on moving,” Njie Mbome said.
According to the Public Health Delegate, we must all be
conscious of the fact that we are dealing with a very ‘sensitive and
challenging disease’.
“Cameroon shares a very long boundary with Nigeria. The
virus has moved from Serra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and we now have cases
reported and confirmed in Nigeria. We must be on alert. It means that Cameroon
isin the pre-epidemic phase. We as health workers have to increase surveillance
and disease control. The population must be enlightened and given the right
information. We have to reinforce attitudes that can help us prevent the
disease,” he says.
Reacting to increased rumour of Ebola cases in parts of
Mamfe and Buea, Dr. Njie Mbome said “to say we have a case means that we must
have it confirmed. We don’t have Ebola in the South West.”
He gave assurances that surveillance has been increased at all entry points into
the region beginning from Idenau, Limbe, Bota, Tiko, Mamfe, Ekok, EkondoTiti
and other frontier localities along the border with Nigeria. He said
instructions have been given to the district medical officers in the border
localities to be on alert.
“We have informed all the district medical officers and we
are working with the administration to make sure that people coming into the
country are followed up. You must show proof that you have been vaccinated
against preventablediseases,” he added.
In terms of equipment, Njie Mbome said “the presence of the
virus in Nigeria has put us in avery advantage position and we are taking
measures before. Since we are in the pre-epidemic phase, we must get the
necessary equipment. Centres have been identified in each region to take care
of cases if they come up.”
He adds that “every country in this sub-region must take
measures in anticipation of any eventuality. We have a broad view of what Ebola
is all about. Every health worker is informed.This is one of the main things
that will be examined at the regional coordination meeting for health officials
this week. Training for health workers is in view.”
Medics say Ebola is very contagious; it spreads rapidly
through contact with body fluids, secretions and sweat from infected
individuals.
At the beginning, they say, one may thing it is malaria,
when the patient starts vomiting blood and passing out blood through the
nostrils and ears and bloody diarrhoea, such a person must be isolated and
taken to hospital.
Medics have advised that dead animals should be reported and
the eating of bush meat and other animals that stray into the wild should be
avoided.
It is also falsely said in some quarters that the eating of
bitter-kola with salt can help prevent individuals from the virus. This has
been regarded as baseless by medics who say there are persons in Nigeria who
have been hospitalised for health difficulties after eating large quantities of
bitter-kola and salt.
No comments:
Post a Comment