.As NCS warns against community spread among inmates
Jonas Ezieke, Abuja
The House of Representatives, the Nigeria Correctional Service NCS and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC and other public health institutions have called for concerted effort of public health institutions and the general public to the dangers of community spread of Ebola disease and other publc health challenges.
This is as the Joint House Committees on Infections Diseases, Healthcare Services, Aviation and Interior have held a one-day public hearing of stakeholders on the need to contain the outbreak of the spread of Ebola Virus Disease on Tuesday in Abuja
The Speaker House of Representatives Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCS Mr Sylvester Nwakuche and the Director-General Nigeria Center for Disease Control NCDC Dr Jide Idris canvassed these positions separately in their presentations at a public hearing.
Speaker Abbas stated that the recente report of the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in some countries in Africa and the recent report of an imported case in Nigeria remind us that public health and national security are inseparable.
He noted that in an increasingly interconnected world the outbreak of a disease can become an issue of public health concern to all
The Speaker further said that the responses to these disease must not be due to absence of threat rather it is to be done with utmost vigilance.
He commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health, Port Health Services, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC and other agencies for the response, including contact tracing and isolation of the index cases in the country.
Also speaking in th same vein, the Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCS Mr Sylvester Nwakuche said that the prevention and control of the spread of Infectious diseases requires the concerted efforts of all sectors of government.
He futher stated that this responsibility is particularly significant to the Nigeria Correctional Service NCS due to the peculiar nature of custodial centres.
He warned of the dangers of community spread of Ebola a d other infectious diseases due overcrowding and poor sanitation.
On the risk factors , he stated that the major risk factor is the concentration of inmates within custodial facilities
Others include the lack of provision of inadequate accommodation and sanitation facilities.
Earlier in an opening remarks, Chairman of the House Joint Committee Hon.Amobi Ogar said that the public hearing is both timely and imperative due to the urgency to contain the spread of the Ebola virus disease.
He stated that the need to strengthen preventive and emergency medical care against the ailment is key in order to douse the intense apprehension and confusion generated by the news of Ebola virus outbreak.
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