EBOLA: SOKOTO PLACES EPIDEMIOLOGISTS ON ALERT, PREPARES ISOLATION CENTRE
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By ‘Balogun Ibrahim
The Sokoto State Government has strengthened disease surveillance and emergency response measures to prevent the possible spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), assuring residents that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) continues to classify the state as low-risk.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Faruk Umar Abubakar Wurno, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Sokoto after a stakeholders’ meeting convened to assess the state’s preparedness and reinforce measures for preventing and responding to a potential outbreak.
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Wurno said the government had placed epidemiologists and disease surveillance officers on alert, strengthened emergency response systems and prepared designated health facilities to manage suspected cases if necessary.
“I want to inform you that Sokoto is a low-risk state, as declared by the NCDC. There is no cause for alarm,” he said.
However, the commissioner emphasised the need for continued vigilance, explaining that the state’s geographical location and entry points made effective disease surveillance essential for detecting and containing potential threats.
He said particular attention was being paid to the Illela international border and the state airport, which currently handles domestic flights.
“We have a very good surveillance system, and our epidemiologists are also active. We have put all of them on alert so that, in case of any alert, we are able to switch into action,” Wurno said.
According to him, the meeting brought together stakeholders responsible for disease surveillance, prevention, case management and public health communication to evaluate existing arrangements and identify gaps in the state’s emergency preparedness.
He added that the government was committed to maintaining a high level of readiness to ensure a prompt and coordinated response if a suspected case was detected.
“The level of readiness is intact and ready for any eventuality,” the commissioner said.
On isolation and treatment facilities, Wurno disclosed that the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Amanawa had been prepared to accommodate suspected Ebola cases if required.
“Our Infectious Disease Hospital is ready. We have prepared it for isolation where there is need,” he said.
He added that the facility had been equipped with personal protective equipment and other essential resources for infection prevention and control.
The commissioner also noted that the hospital’s Chief Medical Director attended the stakeholders’ meeting and briefed participants on the facility’s readiness to support the state’s emergency response.
Meanwhile, Wurno said the diphtheria situation in Sokoto was improving, with fewer patients requiring admission at designated treatment centres.
He listed the facilities as Specialist Hospital Sokoto, which has a 45-bed capacity; Amana, with 100 beds; and another centre with five beds.
According to him, each centre was treating fewer than 10 patients, bringing the total number of patients admitted across the three facilities to below 20.
“As it is, we have less than 20 patients on admission in all the three centres, and the case management is going very well, excellently,” he said.
Wurno described the development as evidence of progress in managing diphtheria cases, adding that the government would sustain public health interventions to protect residents from infectious diseases.
He urged residents to remain calm, rely on credible sources for health information and promptly report suspected cases to the appropriate health authorities.
The state government reiterated that sustained surveillance, early detection and coordinated emergency response remained essential to preventing the spread of infectious diseases and safeguarding public health.
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