By  Chioma Obinna

As the World Health Organisation, WHO, Monday declared Nigeria Ebola free, experts have warned Nigerians to maintain steady surveillance with a view to nip in the bud possible reoccurrence of the deadly virus even as it urged Federal Government to build a formidable emergency response service to address public health issues.

Issuing the warning at an international conference on Ebola for medical doctors in Lagos organised by Global Health Project and Resources, designed for a Continuous Medical Education, the experts advised Nigerians on advocacy, efficient management and constant engagement with all segments of the society.

This according to them, was pertinent, more so as the disease was still ravaging some countries in West Africa, coupled with the fact that there was still no known cure for the virus.

Though some infected persons had defeated the deadly disease, but the health experts from both public and private circles submitted that it was not yet over.

Discipline, vigilance and continuous sensitisation are a key to crushing the disease that had killed over 4, 000 people, mainly on West African soil, the experts maintained.

The Chairman of the occasion, former Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Femi Olugbile, said most of the things that determine success in the management of public health lie not only in the domain of medical personnel but all stakeholders.

To attain good health, the psychiatrist said the public must keep themselves abreast of health issues, especially transmitted disease. Olugbile maintained that management of Ebola virus disease was beyond the surface of clinical perspective but requires managerial enterprise and collective responsibility.

This he said came into play in Nigeria in the course of fighting Ebola.

He lamented that Liberia’s inability to manage further spread of EVD was largely responsible for the virus ravaging the country, killing 2, 316 persons within the space of three months.

Nigerian response had been firm, precise and decisive. A continuous engagement with government is required as a necessity to meet the needs of the public health. Only this can prepare the country against future outbreak.”

In his lecture on surviving Ebola, “Patient’s, health workers’ perspectives”, a Consultant Microbiologist with Pathcare, Dr. Olawale Olusanya, warned that there was still risk of the disease returning to Nigeria. Olusanya explained that as long as Ebola continues hovering around Africa, Nigeria must not sleep with her two eyes closed against the disease.

“For the fact that many Nigerians will be travelling from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, to celebrate Christmas and New Year festivals with their loved ones in Nigeria, calls for we to be at alert. There must be continuous education on the disease,” he said.