Nigeria’s Ebola Success Story, Rosemary Nwaebuni. #gijc15

1. Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI
11 Oct., 2015

2. NIGERIA – BRIEF OVERVIEW
11 Oct., 2015
Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI 2
Nigeria is located in the West African Sub-region. It
operates a Democratic Federal structure consisting of
36 states and a federal capital territory (Abuja). It is
made up of 774 Local Government Areas with a
population of about 170 million people; reputed as the
most populated black nation in the world.

3. What is Ebola?
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), also known as Ebola Hemorrhage
Fever (EHF) is a rare but deadly infection that causes both
internal and external bleeding in humans.
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a highly contagious illness that is
often fatal in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys,
gorillas, and chimpanzees).
As the virus spreads through the body, it damages the immune
system and organs. Ultimately, it causes the level of blood-
clotting cells to drop, leading to severe, uncontrollable bleeding.
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Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI 3

4. Mode of Transmission
 Transmission occurs through direct contact with
the skin or body fluids (blood or secretions) of an
infected person or animal (monkey, chimp and
bat). This occurs mostly during the late stages of
infection.
 Those who care for Ebola-infected persons or
have contact with dead bodies resulting from
Ebola are more at risk or contacting the disease.
11 Oct., 2015Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI 4

5. Symptoms
 Sudden onset of high fever that does not
respond to treatment for common causes of
fever.
 Bleeding
 Diarrhea
 Severe abdominal pain
 Headache
 Nausea
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6. African Countries Hit by Ebola Prior to
Nigeria’s case
 Sierra Leone
 Liberia
 Guinea
 Ebola had killed about 632 persons across
these three countries before it hit Nigeria.
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7. Nigeria’s Proactive Initiative
 In March, 2014 prior to the first Ebola case in Nigeria, the Federal
Ministry of Health issued a red alert, warning that the spread of Ebola
Virus Disease to neighboring West African countries had put the nation
in danger., urging persons with high fever, headache, severe abdominal
pain, diarrhea, and bleeding, especially with a history of travel to Guinea,
Sierra Leone or Liberia, to report to the health authorities at once for
observation and treatment. As at that time, number of infected
persons/casualty rate in other West African countries stood at 137 cases
and 86 deaths
 Relevant authorities in all 36 States of the Federation and the Federal
Capita Territory were united in creating awareness and mobilizing
against the disease while collaborating with the West African Health
Organization (WAHO), World Health Organization (WHO), other
countries and development partners to strengthen the Nigeria’s
response capacity.
 Prior to the first reported case of Ebola in Nigeria in July 2014, every
citizen both literate and non-literate alike already knew the danger and
risk of Ebola outbreak due to the massive awareness campaign carried
out across the country through the mass media.
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8. HOW EBOLA ENTERED NIGERIA
Ebola entered into Nigeria ON July 20,
2014,courtesy of Patrick Sawyer, a
Liberian citizen who was on official
trip to Nigeria to attend ECOWAS
meeting.
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Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI 8

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Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI 9
How Nigeria Defeated Ebola
 Media onslaught
The Nigerian media (print, electronic, social) played a fantastic role in creating
awareness on Ebola scourge. It provided wide coverage on the disease through
copious reportage and expository features, including mine.
 Excellent Tracking Technique
Through the immigration records, co-passengers of Patrick Sawyer and those who
had contact with them were all traced and quarantine at the Ebola emergency
management centers across the country.
 Effective Quarantining
Patrick Sawyers co-passenger and those who had contact with them were
quarantine and placed under surveillance and close monitoring. Those with
symptoms were treated of those symptoms. Their spouses were equally not left out.
 Decontamination
There were prompt cordoning and decontamination of health institutions, facilities
and houses where persons with Ebola symptoms were traced to.
 Proactive Measures
Prior to the first Ebola case, Ebola emergency Management Centers were
established in all states of the country with dedicated toll-free telephone numbers
which people can call to report suspected cases.
 Adoption of isolated treatment method for each symptom of the disease

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Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI 10
Uncommon spirit of National Unity
The entire Nigerian populace was united in the fight against Ebola. They
shared a common sense of apprehension, considering that the disease
permitted no care from family members/loved ones, kills within a few
days, respects no social, political or economic status and has no cure.
The religious, political and ethnic affinities that tend to divide us as a
people were set aside to fight the disease to a standstill.
Copious publicity
There was vigorous and sustained campaign in mass media (TV, radio,
newspapers, hand bills, town criers, seminars town hall meetings, etc) by
all tiers of government (Federal, State and Local) well in advance of the
Ebola scourge, during the challenging period of the disease and even
after the country was declared Ebola-free by the WHO.
Preventive measures adopted by all and sundry
Due to wide publicity given to Ebola and its dangerous nature, all and
sundry including market women, school children, artisans etc, began to
adopt hygienic and preventive measures.

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Schools were closed down for several weeks. When they finally
reopened, pupils and students were compelled to follow established
hygienic and preventive measures put in place such as washing their
hands with tap water and anti-bacterial soap and applying hand
sanitizer – all made available at the entry points.
People began to wear hand gloves; even market women resorted to
wearing nylon on their hands before attending to customers.
Handshakes were reduced to the barest minimum and people carrying
signs on their chests with inscription: ‘handshakes prohibited, please’,
for the fear of contacting the disease.

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Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI 12
Effectively Treated Cases/Casualties
A total number of 19 persons were infected by
Ebola in Nigeria. Out of this number, 12 persons
were effectively treated but unfortunately, 7
patients died before Nigeria began to apply its
home made technology of isolated treatment.

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Presented by: ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI 13
My Role in the Ebola Tragic Drama
I maintained consistent monitoring of the trends of casualties, infections and
deaths as relayed on different electronic media. I interface these information
with my telephonic fact findings from experts/care givers directly involved in
managing Ebola patients and then present my reports in feature formats in
my medium, The Pointer Newspaper.
I conducted interviews with health care practitioners on the dangers and
effective ways of preventing and managing Ebola virus. I networked and
maintained constant touch with Delta State Ministry of Health and health
institutions in the state to get update on the disease and measures put in
place to surmount it in the event that it surfaced in the state.
I equally networked with a couple of WHO representatives in my country
and in my state of residence for update from the Ebola management
centers.
I also monitored and reported behavioral and social changes in the state
engendered by the Ebola scare.

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Challenges
1. Lack of cooperation from interviewees.
2. Reluctance in answering calls on the parts of persons relevant in my
investigation.
3. Meeting Deadlines.
Skills Adopted to Overcome the Challenges
1. Exploring my array of contacts
2. Provoking controversy; that is, putting reluctant authorities on the
defensive.

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Free at Last!
On the 20th
day of October, 2014, exactly 93
days after the first confirmed case of Ebola in
the country, the WHO officially declared
Nigeria as an Ebola-free nation!

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Conclusion
Following its success story in effectively combating
Ebola in the most populated black territory of the
world, several advanced countries with better
health systems are now studying Nigeria’s home
made technology/method in order to improve their
own contact tracing capacity and treatment method
as part of their preparedness for any case of Ebola
importation.

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THANK YOU