Lagos overwhelmed, Nigeria asks for Ebola outbreak help
DW.de
09.08.2014
Nigeria has appealed for volunteers to stop Ebola’s spreading. On Friday, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a national emergency over Ebola, which has so far claimed two lives there.
Authorities in Lagos, home to 20 million and the largest city in Africa’s most populous country, have said they are facing a shortage of medical personnel. Lagos has nine confirmed Ebola cases, including two deaths.
“I won’t lie about that,” Lagos health commissioner Jide Idris said about the staff shortage Saturday.
Declaring Ebola a national emergency on Friday, President Goodluck Jonathan called on Nigerians to avoid gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus. In addition, he warned against moving the corpses of people who had died from Ebola.
“Religious and political groups, spiritual healing centers, families, associations and other bodies should … discourage gatherings and activities that may unwittingly promote close contact with infected persons or place others at risk,” Jonathan’s office said.
Jonathan approved 1.9 billion naira ($11.7 million, nine million euros) in funding to isolate patients, screen the country’s borders, and trace those exposed to the disease. Officials planned to meet in Abuja on Monday to discuss strategies to help curb the spread of Ebola. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have also declared states of emergency.
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