Health Minister urges EU support for Ebola affected countries

BRUSSELS (Federal Ministry of Health Report) – The Supervising Minister of Health, Khaliru Alhassan (Dr) has called on the European Union (EU) to support the concept of medical diplomacy with concrete long term solutions in the health sector to help strengthen health infrastructure and systems of developing nations. He particularly mentioned those nations whose economy and healthcare systems had been affected adversely by the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The Minister made this call in Brussels, Belgium in his address at the European Union (EU) High-level International Conference on Ebola lately. Khaliru Alhassan observed that the concept of medical diplomacy has emerged strongly in recent times due to frequent outbreaks of diseases with great pandemic potential. He added that as long as the Ebola Virus Disease remains prevalent in any country, the entire world stands at risk.

While sharing Nigeria’s experience and ability to speedily contain the Ebola Virus Disease, he attributed Nigeria’s success to strong government leadership, effective control measures put in place to interrupt transmission of the virus, collaboration among the various tiers of government as well as robust multi-sectoral cooperation, early community engagement and aggressive public enlightenment.

Khaliru Alhassan stressed that close collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centre for Disease Control, (CDC), the European Union CDC, China CDC, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and other development partners as well as civil society groups is paramount in containing the disease. He further disclosed that Nigeria is doing everything possible to prevent a resurgence of the virus. He noted that a $41 million dollar plan is being evolved for the nation’s post-containment preparedness, prevention and control of the Ebola Virus Disease.

He revealed that the EU High-Level International Conference on Ebola was organized to take stock of the fight against the outbreak, coordinate further action for total eradication of the disease and to discuss the recovery process in countries which have been most affected by the disease.