NW combat ready against Ebola

By Njodzefe Nestor in Bamenda
Information which became viral in Bamenda last week about the detection of a patient with the Ebola virus at the Bamenda General Hospital has officially been confirmed as false by North West Governor, Adolf Lele L’Afrique. However, a contingency plan to fight against this virus has been made public to the population of the North West region.
    The plan was presented August 14, 2014 by the North West Regional Delegate of Public Health, Dr. Ndiforchu Victor during an emergency crisis meeting on the outbreak of the Ebola virus in some West African countries chaired by Governor Adolf Lele L’Afrique,

    The meeting at the conference room of the Governor’s office was geared at educating key stakeholders of epidemics preparedness and containment and also to brainstorm on what can be done as preventive measures though they are no cases yet of the Ebola virus in the NW at the moment.
    Presenting the contingency plan for the fight against Ebola, North West Regional Delegate of Public Health, Dr. Ndiforchu Victor said the fight is a multi-sectoral one which concerns the region’s wildlife and agricultural sectors and other related sectors like the media and the community.
    The plan which will prepare the region for any eventual Ebola epidemic spells out the identification of potential sites to act as Ebola isolation units in bordering Health units, a surveillance system for dead animals like Chimpanzees and all bushmeat and the training of health personnel. It also involves massive community sensitization, workshops with media practitioners, and health talks in schools when they reopen.
    Before the publication of the plan, a presentation on the cholera situation in the country and in the North West region where 11 people died out of the 143 cases in 2011 was made by Dr. Ndiforchu Victor who added that people should be on the alert.
    A presentation on the Ebola virus was made with fever and bleeding identified as the possible signs. All stakeholders in the meeting were all crown as members of the North West Regional Committee for the fight against cholera and Ebola with all SDOs expected to replicate sensitization workshops in the seven divisions.
    Talking to reporters after the meeting, North West Governor, Adolf Lele L’Afrique expressed the need for all stakeholders to put hands on deck to ensure that the deadly Ebola does not enter the North West Region.