THE MENACE OF EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC FEVER AND THE BRAVERY OF HEALTH PERSONNEL

Mustapha Garba

I want to start with a heartfelt condolence to the family of our fallen heroin, a nurse in the frontline who was the first victim of the dreaded Ebola virus in Nigeria, I am deeply touched by your courage in the face of danger and death. My prayer is with you and all others actively involved in the massive effort aimed at combating the scourge and in the direct management of patients. 

The scourge of the Ebola hemorrhagic fever exposes the fact that health care workers (Nurses especially) face immense risk in the discharge of their duties hence the need for government at all levels to provide adequate protective tools and materials to enable them protect both they and the patients from exposure to danger, furthermore exposure to risk and danger in the health care industry faced by different class of professional has to be assessed and evaluated by the government with a view to ensuring proper compensation in the form of improved hazard allowance and life insurance packages with the aim of motivating them to put in their best for the betterment of the sector.

It is appalling and disgraceful that some group of health professionals still hold on to their selfish and egocentric way of thinking by hiding under the cloak of industrial action to dodge away from being actively involved in direct patient care issuing press statements that seek to hold the government to ransom, trying to entice the lost public sympathy to their greedy cause. This I see is the height of mans insensitivity to man and a gross violation of the oat they have taken.

I advice all other health professionals to as much as is humanly possible become actively involved in patients care and management but at the same time return to their training on universal safety precaution and principle of barrier nursing so as not to put themselves and their families in danger. For I believe Nigerians and the world knows who care more for the patient and who is in the medical field for the sake of money.

The public is advised to follow advices from reliable government and non governmental agencies and agents which involves but not limited to regular hand washing, reducing contact with people, remaining indoors as much as possible and to report to the hospital at the slightest sign of illness for proper  medical evaluation and treatment and also to desist from spreading rumors and false information that further put the lives of innocent citizens.

Finally I wish to commend the effort of the federal and Lagos state government for the coordinated effort aimed at combating this menace and pray That  Allah assist and protect us all. 

By Garba . A. Mustapha
mustaphaabdullahi79@yahoo.com 
– See more at: http://www.medicalworldnigeria.com/2014/08/the-menace-of-ebola-hemorrhagic-fever-and-the-bravery-of-health-personnel-by-garba-a-mustapha/#.U-ob0PldUgE