Ebola: Movement of corpses banned in Nigeria

The movement of corpses within and around the country has been banned as part of measures to avoid the spread of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease.

Announcing the ban at a stakeholders meeting held at the Government House in Kano, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Khairu Al-Hassan said that that the Government was exploiting all options to curtail the disease.

Vanguard quoted him as saying: “We are compelled to take this decision to avoid the spread of the deadly disease in the overall interest of our citizens.

“Henceforth, we would no longer accept movement of corpses within and around the shore of this country”

The decision was also contained in a statement issued by President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday while declaring a national emergency to “control and contain” the Ebola virus in Nigeria.

 

Other emergency measures listed in the statement include: 

The public should follow all directives by health authorities and report any suspected Ebola case to the nearest health facility for immediate medical attention.

The movement of corpses from one community to the other, and from overseas into the country, should be stopped forthwith

The public should desist from spreading false information about Ebola which can lead to mass hysteria, panic and misdirection, including unverified suggestions about the prevention, treatment, cure and spread of the virus.

Every death should be reported to the relevant authorities, and special precautions should be taken in handling corpses.

Religious and political groups, spiritual healing centres, families, associations and other bodies should discourage gatherings and activities that may unwittingly promote close contact with infected persons or place others at risk.

Public enlightenment agencies, including privately-owned media organs should support government’s efforts and disseminate correct information in all Nigerian languages, about preventive personal hygiene measures, the nature of the Ebola virus, modes of transmission and consequential steps to be taken in the event of infection.

State governments and private day care, nursery, primary and secondary schools owners should consider the option of extending the current school holiday until such a time when a national reassessment of the level of the Ebola threat is conducted.

NEMA and similar agencies at the state level should strengthen their public enlightenment campaigns and to use their networks to distribute hand sanitisers and other protective items nationwide.

Aviation and health authorities should embark on immediate intensification of the screening of travelers at all the nation’s borders.