#Ebola: WHO Declares Nigeria Free.

“The virus is gone for now. The outbreak in Nigeria has been defeated,” WHO Country Representative Rui Gama Vaz said in Abuja.

“This is a spectacular success story that shows to the world that Ebola can be contained.”

“The war will only end when West Africa is also declared free. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to use this opportunity, on behalf of the WHO Director General, Dr. Margaret Chan and WHO Regional Director for Africa, to congratulate the government of Federal Republic of Nigeria through His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan, the people of Nigeria and all stakeholders that made it possible to contain the Ebola virus in Nigeria.”

The arrival of Ebola in  Africa’s most populous nation, leading economy and top oil producer sparked fears of its rapid spread throughout the country of 170 million people.

But the doomsday scenario did not happen and health experts involved in tackling the outbreak praised the authorities for their rapid response and comprehensive contact tracing.

In all, eight people died, of the 20 confirmed cases in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, and the oil hub of Port Harcourt. Nearly 900 people were monitored for signs of the disease.

Nigeria’s official Ebola-free status comes after Senegal was given the all-clear on Friday.

Both countries are coming under close scrutiny from public health specialists looking to contain the spread of the disease around the world.

More than 4,500 people have died and nearly 10,000 have been infected with the haemorrhagic fever, most of them in West Africa, since the start of the year.

But a number of cases outside the region, particularly in Spain and the United States, have raised fears about its wider transmission and the urgency for a more effective response.

As well as rigorous contact tracing, Nigeria introduced stringent health screening checks at all airports and sea ports for arrivals and departures.

Health Minister Prof. Onyecbuchi Chukwu paid tributes to those who contributed to the success. They include Mrs. Justina Echelonu, Mrs. Evelyn Uku, the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, Dr. Adaorah, Dr. Fadipe Akiniyi, Dr. Maurice Ibauchi and the management of First Consultants Hospital.

Others are Governor of Lagos Babatunde Fashola and his Enugu counterpart Sullivan Chime as well as Rivers Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

Others are the Commissioners for Health. Permanent Secretaries, Ministry of Health, Lagos, Dr. Olukayode Oguntimeyin, among others.

Minister of State for Health Dr. Haliru Alhassan attributed the success to strong partnership with development partners.

He called for more proactive measures to control infections.

He insisted that personal hygiene should be a thing of interest, adding that the Nigerian Custom Service (NCS) should intensify its efforts at protecting Nigerians borders.

Information Minister Labaran Maku attributed the success to divine intervention and what he called Jonathan’s political commitment.

He lauded the strong collective efforts from the medical officials.

He lauded the media for their strong public awareness and sensitisation.

At the ceremony were Director General (DG), National Agency for Food and Drugs Development Agency (NAFDAC), Chief Medical Director, Centre for Disease Control (CDC), representatives from Enugu and Rivers states, among others.

President Jonathan said all the measures taken after the entry of the Ebola Virus Disease into Nigeria should remain intact.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President also asked health officials to continue to actively screen persons entering the country through its air, land and sea borders for any sign of the virus.

He said: “As the nation applauds the success of its collective effort to stop the transmission of the Ebola Virus within Nigeria however, the President warns that the entire country must remain fully alert and vigilant against the re-entry of the virus.”

“President Jonathan fully shares the view expressed by WHO in its congratulatory message to Nigeria that while we have won a battle against Ebola, the war will only truly end when West Africa, Africa and the world are declared free of Ebola.”

“The President consequently directs that all the anti-Ebola measures taken after the entry of the virus into the country should remain in place and that health officials should continue to actively screen persons entering the country through its air, land and sea borders for any sign of the virus.”

The President also urged all Nigerians to continue to follow the anti-Ebola advisories on sanitation and personal hygiene issued by Federal and State Health authorities.

Jonathan dedicated the W.H.O. certification to the many patriotic health workers, volunteers and ordinary Nigerians who worked tirelessly, some of them paying the ultimate price, to stop the deadly virus in its track after it entered the country in July this year.