The Lagos State Government has activated the Incident Management Structure (IMS) of the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) to bolster preparedness and prevent any potential outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the state.
The activation followed an emergency meeting held at Mainland Hospital, Yaba, in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has reported 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four health workers.
During the meeting, officials reviewed the epidemiology of the DRC outbreak, while pillar leads presented a comprehensive preparedness checklist covering infection prevention and control, surveillance, contact tracing, case management, laboratory capacity, evacuation, risk communication, budget, and logistics.
Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, represented by Dr. Ismail Abdus-Salam, Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity, and Global Health, described the IMS activation as a proactive measure, noting Lagos’ vulnerability as a major gateway with multiple points of entry.
According to officials, Lagos is “largely ready” with an isolation centre capable of accommodating 14 to 18 beds each for suspected and confirmed cases. Surveillance and laboratory systems are fully functional, and the first round of training for frontline health workers across all response pillars will commence immediately.
Dr. Ogboye reassured residents, urging calm while emphasizing strict adherence to hand hygiene, environmental sanitation, and prompt reporting of suspected cases, particularly among travelers returning from affected regions. He noted that Ebola spreads through direct contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated items and advised anyone with fever, sore throat, or malaria-like symptoms who recently visited outbreak zones to report immediately to 767 or 112.
Robust surveillance measures are also being implemented at Lagos airports to prevent the importation of the virus, reinforcing the state’s commitment to protecting public health.
Reported by: Stone Reporters News
📩 info@stonereportersnews.com | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNews
Add comment
Comments