As more people who came in contact with the Patrick Sawyer,
the first Ebola fatality in Nigeria begin to show symptoms associated with the
virus, the Nigerian government said it has reached out to United States health
authorities for access to the experimental drug used to treat two American
volunteer doctors who were infected with the disease while treating Ebola
patients in Liberia.
“We are in touch with the Americans. Yesterday, I spoke on
telephone with the Director of the US Centre for Disease Control and
Prevention, Dr Tom Freiden. We spoke at length, and we have exchanged emails.
Yesterday, I inaugurated the Treatment Research Group and one of its terms of
reference is to collaborate with similar working groups across the world. Now
that they have started work, they will get in touch with the Americans and
understand what they are doing and whether we have access to similar
opportunity,” said Mr Chukwu.
The minister added that he has confidence in the committee
of medical and health experts constituted by the government to develop a drug
for the treatment of the virus.
“Nobody says that new, fresh ideas cannot come out of
Nigeria. We should not underestimate the intelligence of Nigerians. I do not
underestimate the intelligence of our professionals, I believe something
positive is going to come out.”
Meanwhile, despite being on a five-week long strike, the
Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has set up a committee to combat the spread
of thr virus. Speaking at a press conference to sensitise the public of
preventive measures against the virus, the Chairman of the Lagos chapter of the
NMA, Tope Ojo, said a team of doctors from the state have already volunteered
to help patients at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, Lagos.
“Strike or no strike, we must respond to emergencies. Our
doctors are at Mainland Hospital, Yaba, where isolated contacts are being
monitored. There are seven committees working on the management of the disease
at the centre in Lagos and our members are part of the various committees,” he
said.
“When there is disaster outbreak, you find out that there
will be response by NMA. The issue of strike will not affect our involvement.
The NMA is a responsible body and I can assure you that in as much as we don’t
pray for natural disasters, NMA will definitely respond. We worked all through
the night trying to find out who should be here or there today. It is not a
question of if the hospital is on today we work more than what we have been
doing.
“But the committee where we are having challenges getting
volunteers is case management. This is the people that work directly with
confirmed and suspected cases.
“Look at the protective measures that doctors in Liberia and
Guinea wear. They are well protected, yet some of them still caught it. Our
doctors are worried about the danger it poses to their lives and they need to
be reassured. We understand their fears and we are making moves to confirm the
level of preparedness of the government for doctors.”
Mr. Ojo also added that apart from the doctor who is
confirmed to have Ebola, a matron at the hospital is also showing symptoms of
the virus.
“We know that the infected doctor is stable, however, the
matron is now showing symptoms. But everybody including the experts from the
World Health Organisation are doing all they can."