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•12 Confirmed Cases Of EVD
• 5 Fully Recovered
• Anambra, Imo, Abia, Others Cleared
THERE was a huge cheer in Lagos yesterday as the first Nigerian confirmed to have Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was given a clean bill of health, and discharged from the Lagos Isolation Ward.
The Health Minister, who confirmed this, said the survivor, a female medical doctor, was allowed to go home yesterday evening, after all discharge protocol regarding the disease had been completed. This came as Nigeria averted a potential showdown, especially with the United States of America, as the Federal Government said it would no longer administer the Nano-silver drugs on Ebola patients according to a statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Health on Media and Communication, Dan Nwomeh.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) had warned against use of ‘unapproved’ drugs, even as Nigeria’s central government appeared bent on trying it out. Lagos State Government had also refused to administer the drug to patients in its custody. Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the drugs though had arrived the country, would not be administered on patients anymore. He said approval for use of the drug was withheld by the National Health Research Ethics Committee because it did not meet the requirements of the National Health Research Ethics code.
“I regret to inform you that the drug did not meet the requirements of the National Health Research Ethics code. Accordingly, approval for its use was withheld by the National Health Research Ethics Committee,” the Minister said.
He informed that other candidate drugs are being evaluated by the Treatment Research Group for EVD.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government announced that the country has recorded 12 cases of confirmed EVD. The statement reads; “As at today, the statistics indicate:
• Total number of confirmed cases of EVD in Nigeria = 12
• Number of deaths due to EVD = 4
• Number of persons under surveillance in Lagos = 189
• Number of persons under surveillance in Enugu = 6”
Health Minister Chukwu disclosed the patients under treatment have been moved to the new 40-bed capacity isolation ward provided by the Lagos State Government.
He added that additional equipment has also been made available to the new isolation ward by the Federal Government. “At present, five of the patients have almost fully recovered,” he said.
Chukwu commended the Lagos State government for completing and delivering the 40-bed facility on schedule, adding that the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has also deployed equipment to the centre to enhance quality of care.
The minister, who had a private session with family members of the affected people, assured all that the Federal Government in collaboration with Lagos State was unrelenting in doing everything necessary towards their full recovery and welfare.
On complaints by some family and friends of infected persons, Chukwu said it was understandable that relatives would be apprehensive but assured that all grey issues were being addressed.