We Can’t Play Politics with Ebola, FG Tells Opposition

We Can’t Play Politics with Ebola, FG Tells Opposition

The federal government on Thursday in Abuja urged the opposition party to desist from politicising the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country.
The call came on the heels of an earlier statement by the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing as ‘uncharitable’ the government’s move to “pretend as if governments of the two affected states (Lagos and Rivers) did nothing” in containing the Ebola virus.
Speaking at a high level experts meeting on Ebola virus in Abuja, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, said there is no need to play politics with efforts to completely rid Nigeria of the disease.
Chukwu told journalists that he was “not going to speak for the PDP because the party had its own official spokesperson. You said it is an opposition party; so they will talk at their level.
“But, I have said as Minister of Health, I am not playing politics. And, Mr. President who is leading this fight has taken personal leadership, he is one of the greatest leaders Nigeria has ever had” the minister maintained.
He explained that given the collective efforts of all the stakeholders, there should be no room for politics, and that sentiments should be set aside.
“I will say it any day because it is evidence-based. It is not politics,” Chukwu told journalists.
“Certainly, we have tried to avoid politics. Some people, I don’t know where they are coming from, have tried to draw us into politics. We cannot be in this matter and play politics.
“I have already said they are commending the President. I have also said they are commending the state governments that have helped us this far. The governors of these three states, Lagos, Enugu and Rivers together with their commissioners, you can see the commissioner in Rivers State is even here. You can see that Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health is here because they are medical doctors, they refused to play politics. So, we are not playing politics,” the minister submitted.
Highlighting efforts to produce vaccines, Chukwu stated: “President Jonathan is working hard. He has directed me and I am working with some groups. Nigeria, very soon, may be in the next one year, we will start producing some vaccines in this country. Vaccines are important. Any disease that has a vaccine, it is as good as eradicating it. Vaccine is the ultimate; it is better than any drug.
“But, of course, it takes time, it takes some research to produce. And, right now, we have a number of candidate vaccines. Nigeria was among those countries; I personally wrote the letter that Nigeria was willing, after I had been advised by the Treatment Research Group, NAFDAC and National Health Research Ethics Committee, these three groups established in this country advised the Minister of Health that Nigeria will be willing to be part of this.”
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Nigeria not to be complacent in ensuring that the country is free from the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
Commenting on government efforts to tame the spread of the virus, WHO Country Director, Dr. Gama Vaz, said “the risk of importing Ebola virus into the country remains very high.”
While commending the efforts of the federal government and the two states, Vaz expressed his appreciation on the strategic mechanism that had been put in place to contain the virus in Nigeria.
He commended Chukwu and his team on their dedication and zeal, adding that more need to be done, as Nigeria ought to be constantly at alert in order to avoid future outbreak of pandemics.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, informed journalists at the event that the National Assembly will continue to provide the impetus to assist in medical research.
Okowa said considering the current challenges brought about by the outbreak of the Ebola virus, the Senate is expected to deepen the Public Health Act.
He added that this will take care of quarantine issues, Port Health Services and other important health matters.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Foundation, Adiembong Adaga, stated that the foundation would continue to provide support to research particularly in the quest to find a vaccine for the Ebola virus.
Adaga explained that Dangote Foundation is committed to aligning with other key stakeholders in the private sector to ensure that Nigeria “takes the lead in bringing about a clear roadmap to achieve success.”
The Co-Chairmen of the Treatment Research Group on the Ebola Virus Disease, Prof. Innocent Ujah and Prof. Karniyus Gamaniel, made presentations at the event.
They harped on the need for concerted efforts in remaining focus to the set goals entrusted to the committee.
The meeting had in attendance, Prof. Maurice Iwu, Dr. Igho Ofotokun of Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, United States, Dr Amos Samson of Cedaville University, US, Chair, National Health Research Ethics Committee, Prof. Clement Adebawomo, Dr Oyekanmi Nash, Prof. Abdulrahman Nasidi, Dr. Peters Oladosu, among others.