Ebonyi State Government Adopts Proactive Measure To Battle Coronavirus - Ugbala

From Einstein Chukwu

Ebonyi State Government has unveiled its plans to curb the spread of pandemic diseases, especially the new viral disease named “Covid-19” ravaging the Asian continent and some other parts of the world.

Addressing Local Government Chairmen and Development Centre Coordinators, Traditional Rulers; Town Union Presidents, Local Government Advisory Committee as well as hoteliers operating in Abakaliki, Dr. Ugbala Kenneth Igwe, directed that all foreigners living or entering the state must be profiled amidst other Ebonyi indigenes or citizens of this country that traveled outside the country.

Deacon Kenneth Ugbala maintained that the safety of Ebonyians is sacred and cannot by any means be compromised, stressing that the Umahi-led administration was ready to sustain peace and tranquility reigning in the state.
“The health and safety of our children are more important to us than anything else. We called for this meeting because we want you to assist us in profiling the expatriates living with us or coming into our state, even our people who traveled outside the country. You know, we are talking about a matter of life and death especially now new cases have been recorded in Africa countries, Egypt and Algeria”,  he explained.

He pointed out the need to be extra careful in dealing with matters of concern, such as this, adding that the State Government has built quarantine centers across the borders in the Ebonyi State.
“Proactively, the state government has built quarantine centers in all the entire entry points in the state. What we want to achieve is to ensure that the expatriates, including our people traveling in and out of the country, will be properly examined for two weeks (14 days) which is the incubation period of coronavirus before allowing them to mingle with others”, he further expounded.

Dr. Ugbala further explained that the government will leave no stone unturned in the bid to enhance the welfare of her citizenry. He noted that seven quarantine centers have been designated for the health safety measure, buses and ambulances have been purchased as well as nurses and doctors readily on the ground to attend to any health matters as it concerned coronavirus.

The Secretary to the State Government espoused the readiness of Ebonyi State Government collaborate with the Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to enhance effective border control as well as rapprochement in order to create a common ground where Ebonyi State Government would be alerted in case of any expatriate found coming to the state or citizens of this country who is returning from outside the country.

Others persons who spoke during the meeting included Controller General of Nigeria Immigration Service Ebonyi State Command, Chairman Local Government Advisory Committee, Commissioner for Grants and Donor agencies, Dr. Sunday Nwangele and Commissioner for Health, Dr. Umezurike, highlighted on the mode of transmission, symptoms and preventive measures and promised to create a robust synergy with the state government in other to achieve the sole aim.

This virus which can be contacted from Human and animal pathogens with wilder symptoms ranging from fever, coughing and shortness of breath may possibly be prevented through regular handwashing with soap or alcohol-based hand rub as well as covering nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing among others.
You may recall that on 31st December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was alerted on several cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Provenience of China.