The Osun State Government has resolved to intensify public awareness campaigns on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), including multilingual radio and television broadcasts, as part of efforts to prevent the disease from spreading into the state.
The decision was reached at a meeting of the State Steering Committee on Ebola Virus Disease, where stakeholders reviewed the state’s preparedness and response strategies.
A report of the meeting, prepared by the Public Health Operations Centre in the Osun State Ministry of Health, outlined measures to strengthen disease prevention, surveillance and emergency response.
According to the report, the government is expected to reclaim, prepare and reopen its designated emergency isolation facility within one week to improve its capacity to manage suspected Ebola cases.
“The state is to reclaim, prepare and open the designated facility within one week,” the report stated.
The committee also identified public sensitisation, healthcare worker training, improved coordination at the local government level and the provision of essential emergency resources as priority areas requiring urgent attention.
It recommended that Ebola preparedness meetings be replicated across local government areas, with the participation of Local Government Rapid Response Teams, to strengthen coordination and ensure effective implementation of response measures.
The Ministry of Health was also urged to begin capacity-building programmes for healthcare responders, starting with existing master trainers, while dedicated emergency ambulances are to be arranged for transporting suspected cases.
To improve public understanding of Ebola, the committee recommended expanding health education jingles and broadcast materials in Hausa and other local languages, in addition to planned Yoruba-language communication.
“Health promotion teams are to expand educational jingles and broadcast materials in Hausa and other local languages, in addition to the planned Yoruba-language communication,” the report stated.
Other recommendations include establishing holding bays in selected hospitals, replenishing essential protective supplies, strengthening disease surveillance and improving coordination among rapid-response teams.
The committee further called for increased engagement with private healthcare practitioners to promote early detection, prompt reporting and appropriate management of suspected cases.
On funding and implementation, the report stressed the need for emergency financial support, timely executive approvals, adequate resources and clearly assigned responsibilities.
It noted that regular monitoring by the State Steering Committee would be essential to ensuring that the agreed measures are implemented effectively.
“The agreed actions provide a framework for strengthening the state’s preparedness and response capacity. Timely approvals, sufficient resources and consistent monitoring would be necessary to implement the recommendations,” the report stated.
The state’s preparations come amid a Federal Government directive urging hospitals nationwide to prepare isolation beds and strengthen infection prevention and control measures against Ebola.
The Federal Government has also warned that 15 states are yet to update their response plans as authorities intensify efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s readiness to contain the outbreak.
The measures outlined by the Osun State Steering Committee are aimed at improving public awareness, strengthening healthcare preparedness and ensuring a coordinated response should suspected Ebola cases emerge in the state.
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