Source: .com.ng

Having conquered the deadly Ebola virus in Nigeria, about 250 Nigerian volunteers are set to leave tomorrow for some West African countries that have been worst hit by the virus.

The volunteers, who commenced the initial trainings required for the assignment in Lagos yesterday, are part of a team of about 1000 strong health personnel force being deployed under the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA). The 250 Nigerian volunteers consist of doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and care givers, among others.

The Director of Social Affairs at the African Union Commission, Ambassador Olawale Maiyegun, said at the training of the 250 volunteers from Nigeria in Lagos, that the Union was optimistic of wiping out the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) from Africa in six months, noting that the ‘massive’ deployment of personnel, equipment and supply was one sure way of tackling the ailment head on.

Olawale, who is the head of the AU Ebola Mission, noted: “We all know that Ebola has been ravaging West Africa, killing in Sierra Leone and Liberia. But, it was not until August 8 that the WHO declared it as international concern, more or less a humanitarian problem in the entire world.

“Precisely, August 19, the African Union Peace and Security Council declared Ebola as a threat to security on the continent. By the time the UN Security Council declared Ebola as an international concern to security and the UN General Assembly rated UN Mission to Ebola, we had already deployed the first set of volunteers. We had recruited already men and young women of this continent, whom I am very proud of.

“Africa Union has deployed volunteers to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. We examine the problem. We are very grateful to the various efforts of the international community, particularly, in providing infrastructure, logistics. What was missing in most of the international efforts is the human resources for health, which was left largely to non-governmental organizations like medicine and frontiers, Red Cross and Samaritan Cross. “

Project Director of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Dr. Abdulsalam Nasidi, said the team is the first batch of 504 volunteers expected to be deployed out eventually.

The majority of the volunteers, he said, were those who managed the outbreak in Lagos and Rivers states.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, stressed the need to protect other countries by jointly fighting the scourge in countries where it is still endemic.

“If we fold our arms here saying that the Ebola virus disease has been contained in Nigeria, we are not being serious. We stand the risk of another case being introduced into Nigeria. We do not pray for it. We must be up and doing from preventing that from happening. And, one of the easiest ways is to send people who are knowledgeable, who have been trained, to go down there and assist and help them.

“What we are doing today is a very important aspect of our fight against the Ebola virus disease. You all recall that Nigeria was certified Ebola free in October 20th of this year. A lot of people have wondered how we did it in Lagos, and indeed in Nigeria because that first man came to Nigeria and a lot of activities have happened in respect of the containment in Lagos.

And, the virus spilled over to Port Harcourt. But let me say that the major thing is that of leadership, the issue of vision; everybody working as a team. We did not leave anything to chance. That was why we succeeded in containing it. We are all glad we contained the disease.”

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