KEY POINTS

• Cross River State has trained 34 health workers in infection prevention, disease surveillance and hygiene to prepare for a possible Ebola outbreak.
• The training involved the state Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Participants came from five local government areas, including Ikom, which shares a border with Cameroon.
• The state government said no Ebola case had been reported in Cross River at the time of the training.

MAIN STORY

Cross River State has trained 34 health workers to strengthen its preparedness for a possible Ebola outbreak, with particular attention to disease detection, infection prevention and hygiene in communities near the Cameroon border.

The training on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) was held in Ikom Local Government Area on Monday. It was organised by the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Participants were drawn from Ikom, Etung, Yakurr, Obubra and Boki local government areas. The organisers said the exercise was designed to improve the ability of surveillance officers, laboratory personnel and other healthcare workers to identify, report and respond appropriately to suspected Ebola cases.

Ikom’s location along the border with Cameroon makes it an important area for disease surveillance and emergency preparedness, as health authorities need to be able to identify and respond quickly to possible infectious disease threats.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, represented by the State Epidemiologist, Dr Inyang Ekpenyong, urged residents to remain calm and maintain proper hygiene.

Ayuk advised residents to avoid direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of anyone suspected or confirmed to have Ebola. He also encouraged regular handwashing and urged anyone who suspected exposure or developed serious symptoms to seek professional medical advice promptly.

The commissioner said no Ebola case had been reported in Cross River at the time of the training. He stressed, however, that preparing health workers before an emergency was essential to ensuring a timely and effective response.

“Preparedness is essential to an effective public-health response.

“Equipping our health workers with the knowledge and skills to recognise and promptly report suspected cases will help ensure that the state is better positioned to respond to potential threats,” he said.

Ayuk commended the WHO and NCDC for supporting the exercise, describing it as an important step towards improving the state’s readiness for public health emergencies.

The WHO Country Representative, Dr Pavel Ursu, represented by Dr Edeh Edwin-Isotu, the organisation’s National Technical Officer for Public Health and Environment, also emphasised the importance of early detection and prompt reporting.

“Early recognition of suspected cases, prompt notification of the appropriate authorities, and strict infection prevention practices are critical to an effective Ebola response,” Ursu said.

He stressed that healthcare workers needed to understand and follow established procedures to protect themselves, their patients and the wider community.

The training also covered Ebola’s signs and symptoms, how the virus spreads, relevant developments in disease surveillance and ongoing preparedness efforts.

THE ISSUES

Ebola preparedness depends on identifying suspected cases quickly and preventing the virus from spreading through contact with infected people’s blood or other body fluids. Health workers are particularly important because they may be among the first people to encounter a suspected case.

Training in infection prevention helps healthcare workers understand how to protect themselves and patients when assessing or treating someone who may have the disease. Improved reporting and surveillance can also help health authorities investigate suspected cases and respond before an outbreak spreads further.

Cross River’s proximity to Cameroon makes border-area preparedness important. However, the training does not mean an outbreak has occurred in the state. The commissioner said no Ebola case had been reported in Cross River at the time of the exercise.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

• “Preparedness is essential to an effective public-health response.” – Dr Henry Ayuk, Cross River State Commissioner for Health.
• “Equipping our health workers with the knowledge and skills to recognise and promptly report suspected cases will help ensure that the state is better positioned to respond to potential threats,” – Dr Henry Ayuk.
• “Early recognition of suspected cases, prompt notification of the appropriate authorities, and strict infection prevention practices are critical to an effective Ebola response,” – Dr Pavel Ursu, WHO Country Representative.

WHAT’S NEXT

The state is expected to continue strengthening disease surveillance and healthcare workers’ ability to identify and report suspected infections. Residents have also been urged to maintain good hygiene, avoid contact with the bodily fluids of people suspected of having Ebola and seek professional medical advice if they suspect exposure or develop serious symptoms.

The effectiveness of these efforts will depend on health workers applying the procedures covered in the training and on suspected cases being reported promptly to the appropriate authorities.

BOTTOM LINE

Cross River is strengthening its Ebola preparedness before any reported case in the state. The training aims to help health workers recognise suspected infections, protect themselves and patients, and support a faster response if a case emerges.

Source: NAN