Stakeholders Boycott NPA’s Ebola Virus Sensitisation Seminar

Managing Director, NPA; Mallam Habeeb Abdullahi.

• Freight forwarders, dockworkers, terminal operators, truck drivers absent

Blaming inadequate awareness for the event, stakeholders in the port system were conspicuously absent at town hall meeting organised by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday to educate them on precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
Even though the programme was meant for all stakeholders, Shiping Position Daily confirmed that it was not attended by freight forwarders, truck drivers/owners, dockworkers, terminal operators and others.
The only visible stakeholders in attendance were employees of NPA and journalists.
Many of those who spoke with our correspondent after the event claimed that there was not enough awareness about the sensitization.
Notwithstanding, the NPA brought a Medical Virologist from the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research; Dr. Salu Olumuyiwa who advised maritime operators to endeavour to wash their hands simply with soap and water as many times as possible to reduce the risk of the disease.

Dr. Olumuyiwa also said that hand sanitizers cannot prevent individuals from contracting the disease except a detergent is applied.

He pleaded with stakeholders to carry out their activities without panic, while assuring that health workers have been drafted to every entry point in Nigeria including the seaports, airports and land borders.

"You have to be safety conscious, the magic is hand washing as far as I am concerned, wash your hands and eventually when you get home, take a shower"

"When you see the first signs and symptoms, just come out and report yourself so that we can take care of your family, so that we can pick them up at the earliest possible time, the earlier you are picked up, the higher the chances for survival"

Some of the symptoms of the virus highlighted by Dr. Olumuyiwa includes fever, multiple organ failure, severe bleeding, jaundice, delirium, seizures, coma and shock.

He cautioned against touching of sick persons, dead persons and their body fluids including their belonging during Ebola outbreak.

"If someone has been sick at home or has died at home, you must burn all their belongings to avoid being contaminated by them"
"If someone died at home and you don't know from what, tell it to the health unit, if they think its from Ebola, a burial team will help you for the burial. Don't touch or eat monkeys or bats, dead or alive, during the Ebola outbreak"
Dr. Olumuyiwa reiterated that Ebola can be spread through physical contact with body fluids like blood, saliva, stool and urine, vomit, sweat, snot, sexual fluids, tears and breast milk.
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