The Federal Government has intensified its efforts to combat the life threatening Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and other diseases as well as emergency responses by acquiring about 30 Hilux pick up operation vehicles.
Addressing Journalists on Wednesday in Abuja at the launching of the surveillance and operation vehicles for Ebola Virus, other diseases and Emergency responses, the Supervising Minister of Health and Minister of State for Health, Dr.Khaliru Alhassan assured that Government will continue to invest in disease surveillance, preparedness and response to ensure that Nigeria’s ports of entry are secured.
He explained that launching of the vehicles is to support surveillance and emergency preparedness and response activities adding that the vehicles will be stationed at some Nigeria’s key ports of entry and to communicate between operating centres and surveillance offices within and across states.
The Minister said that the Federal Government remains committed to support State Governments to establish isolation centres and equip them with some of the materials required to begin to respond to outbreaks like that of the EVD.
He assured that Government will continue to strengthen a number of reference laboratories spread across the six geographical regions to facilitate diagnosis of diseases noting that EVD outbreak has also reinforced the need to strengthen infection prevention and research in the country.
Dr Alhassan called on State Governments to continue to strengthen their surveillance and disease outbreak preparedness and responses to ensure that ebola does not experience a resurgence.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr.Linus Awute said that the launching of the operation vehicles was borne out of the Federal Government determination to provide logistics to the ebola virus disease containment adding that Government is not relenting in its efforts to make sure that EVD does not resurfaces in the country.
