The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has assured Nigerians that there is no need to panic over the Ebola virus, saying the country has the capacity to combat the virus.
Head of Health Emergency Preparedness at the NCDC, Dr Biodun Ogunniyi, said this during an interview on Channels Televisionon Thursday, May 21.
“There is no need to panic because fear k!lls more than death itself, because this is not the first time Nigeria is getting prepared for this kind of outbreak. We had a bit of a scare last year, used that opportunity to test our system, and we are comfortable to an extent.
Let’s not forget Nigeria has been tested before with Ebola in 2014…, and we know that in less than 70 days, the country was able to wipe this virus out, which received global commendation that made us support other countries in Africa”he said
He said Nigeria has a better health system to combat the virus, compared to the outbreak in 2014.
According to him, Nigeria has the in-country capacity to contain the virus.
“The Bundibugyo Ebola Virus, the first time was in 2007, and if something is not new to you, you are relatively more prepared because it is not new, so for us, we have the system in place as a country and as an agency to be able to quickly coordinate ourselves through our Public Health Emergency Operation Centre.
We have our laboratory capacity, unlike in 2014 when we first had this Ebola outbreak. Now we have the capacity in the country to detect the Ebola virus. There is a network of laboratories across the country, and we have our national reference laboratories both in Abuja and also in Lagos to ensure we can have prompt detection when it happens”he said
His remark follows the new strain of Ebola virus (Bundibugyo) that hit the Democratic Republic of Congo with 513 cases reported and 131 deaths recorded.