Ebola: Lagos alerts on sale of fake EVD cassettes, test kits

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Government has alerted residents on the activities of some “unscrupulous” people who are purportedly, hawking “Ebola Cassettes, Test Kit” to unsuspecting people.

In a statement Wednesday by the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Babatunde Fashola, Mr Hakeem Bello, the fake items which are branded as “Rapid Response Canada with test results purportedly available in 10 minutes” is a hoax.


According to Bello, there are no Ebola test kits manufactured anywhere in the world and that the technique for its manufacture does not exist yet, adding that members of the public should not patronize the dubious marketers of the products.

Meantime, the state government will on Thursday  hold a sensitization workshop for Principals and Head teachers of public primary and secondary schools on as well as proprietors of public schools in the state on the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, and Haemorrhagic Fever, EHF, and the new school resumption date of October 13, 2014 at the Blue Roof , Lagos Television premises, Ikeja.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye who stated this therefore, noted that the workshop would also afford stakeholders the opportunity of adequately preparing for the resumption of academic exercise on Monday, October 13, 2014 in view of the outbreak of the EVD in the country.

The sensitization workshop is expected to be addressed by various professionals including Prof Bayo Onajole, Director of Communication/Social Mobilization at the Ebola Emergency Operation Center (EEOC) and Mrs. Omowunmi George, Deputy-Director, Health Education in the State Ministry of Health officials among others.

Similarly, as parts of efforts by governments at all levels to contain the spread of the disease, Ejigbo LCDA had organized an awareness campaign among its residents on measures to take to prevent spread of the disease.

Addressing leaders of the council’s 75 Community Development Associations, CDAs, at Lafenwa Town Hall, recently, the council chairman, Mr. kehinde Bamigbetan, appealed to them to imbibe all preventive measures against Ebola as stipulated by the government, noting that the disease is incurable presently.

He added that parents should pay more attention to their children as they are more vulnerable to the virus adding that as a way of ensuring that all residents of the council are armed with vital information on how to contain the virus, Ejigbo LCDA has produced thousand copies of a four page leaflet titled; “Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Fact Sheet that would be distributed to all residents through the 75 CDAS.

He added that the Ebola fact sheet contains information about the virus, how it is contacted, its symptoms and preventive measures. The council chairman urged the community leaders to compliment the efforts of government aimed at containing the disease, by ensuring that the leaflets and the awareness campaign get to residents.

Speaking earlier at the event, the Health Educator attached to Ejigbo LCDA, Mrs. Odesola Dolapo inundated the community leaders with all facts associated with Ebola, particularly, steps to take to prevent its spread.

She urged residents to cultivate the habit of washing their hands regularly with soaps before touching their mouths with the hands

She also told them to stay away from dead bodies and also avoid eating bush meats for now.
Odesola, however, commended the state government and the Federal Government for the level of commitment they have demonstrated towards containing the spread of the disease. She also commended Ejigbo LCDA Chairman,Bamigbetan for his determination to raise the level of awareness of residents in the council area.

Many of the community leaders who attended the event commended Ejigbo LCDA for organising the awareness campaign on Ebola. They called on government at all levels to ensure that necessary protective materials are provided for doctors, nurses and other health attendants attending to people suspected to have been infected with the virus, in order to contain its spread.

Culled fromwww.vanguardngr.com