By Favour Nnabugwu

Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, yesterday, condemned the stigmatisation of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, victims, particularly by relations and the society at large.

This is even as the union commended the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, for the strong response to the virus across the nation.

MHWUN President, Ayuba Wabba, at the one-day ‘train the trainers’ workshop and the formal launch of the World Health Organisation’s interim infection prevention and control guidance for health workers in Abuja, criticised relations of victims, who, for fear of contacting the virus, denied the victims the love they required at that critical point of their lives.

“As we face the battle to curb and stop Ebola, we must and will do this with love. Stigmatisation is not an option; protection, action and solidarity are the way forward,” he said.
He explained that the union carefully selected the theme of the workshop, following the stigmatisation of victims as observed and witnessed by health workers.

Wabba, however, said the union appreciated the efforts of the Federal Government and its members across the country, especially in the affected states for the manner they had so far handled the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, virus and its victims since it broke in Lagos over a month ago.