Maku To Nigerians: Don’t Take Ebola Patients To Prayer Houses

The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, on Monday in Abuja advised Nigerians against harboring people suspected to be infected with the Ebola Virus Disease in prayer houses.

He spoke at a conference organised by the Ministry of Health to provide guidelines to commissioners of health on how to sensitize the people on the deadly virus.

Maku said that while it was important to note that God still performed miracles, the public ought to be sensitized to help the federal government contain the disease by leaving their loved ones at designated quarantine centres.

Making reference to the story of the centurion in the Bible, the information minister asked relatives to rather send names of patients to prophets and religious leader for prayers.

“Miracles should take place in quarantine centres. If you have a prayer warrior in Lagos, just send the name of the person to him for the miracle”, Mr. Maku said.

He said that while the disease was deadly, it was important to note that there was no need to stigmatize anyone with the infectious disease. He called on persons who might show symptoms of the disease, to help by reporting themselves to quarantine centres in order to save their own lives and that of their family members.

He also encouraged state Commissioners of Health to work towards the translation of pamphlets shared at the conference to their various local dialects.

Thanking the media for its coverage of the virus since its outbreak in the country, Maku urged media organizations to ensure that stories on the disease did not cause anxiety among residents even as he sought their help in public enlightenment.

The Head, Port Health Services, Sani Gwarzo, said that Nigeria had started land border screening in Seme and Idiriko. He said it was the responsibility of every country to protect its borders.

Mr. Gwarzo said since the outbreak of the disease, the Ports Health Services was making sure that it delivered safe, healthy and easy screening at all ports and borders in Nigeria.

The Ebola Virus Disease spread to Nigeria in July through a Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, who it was later learnt, evaded quarantine in Liberia to attend a conference in the country. Although he died some few days later in Lagos, nine Nigerians have since tested positive for the virus with one dead.

Also, 177 primary and secondary contacts of the index case have been identified and isolated.