#Ebola: Lagos State Vows To Prosecute Those That Stigmitises Survivors

Lagos State Government on Tuesday says it will not hesitate to prosecute any resident that stigmatises survivors of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease.

It was learnt that the government took the decision after a complaint of stigmatisation was made by two of the nine survivors, who were also certified free from EVD.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said on Tuesday during a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, that the government was determined to ensure that Ebola survivors were reintegrated into the society.

He said, “The social problem being faced by discharged cases has been reported to the government.

“This ranges from stigmatisation, eviction from their accommodation, being asked to stay away from work and termination of employment.

“We have had cases of employers just terminating the employment of their workers who were just mere contacts, not even suspected cases. We believe this is unfair and we feel this impedes on their fundamental human rights.

“Now, the Ministry of Justice will take the matter up. Anybody, whether a discharged patient or a contact followed up, who feels stigmatised, can petition the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General of Lagos State and the government will take that matter up on their behalf.”

Idris urged residents to help all cases and contacts that had been given a clean bill of health to reintegrate into the society.

“Stigmatisation will reverse the gains so far made in the containment and management of this outbreak. People who come down with Ebola may not come out and this may jeopardise not only their lives, but their family members and other people they come in contact with. That’s why it is essential that people should stop that,” Idris said.

The commissioner said the two cases of stigmatisation that had been reported by survivors had been referred to the Ministry of Justice.

Idris said the government had successfully traced all primary contacts of the index case, Patrick Sawyer, while other contacts under surveillance had been followed up within the stipulated period.

He added that the First Consultant Hospital, where the first case was recorded, had “been decontaminated and also certified to reopen for business.”

The Lagos State government also commiserated with the hospital over the loss of its medical personnel and expressed appreciation for the altruistic role it played in containing and managing the Ebola virus, “thus preventing an epidemic.”

The letter to the hospital read : “The Ministry is in receipt of a letter dated August 29, 2014 from the NCDC, Ebola Emergency Centre, Lagos, informing that your facility has had three rounds of state-certified decontamination process.

“First Consultants has now been cleared to reopen for business. We hope that with this reopening, your facility will continue to maintain its high quality of standards.”