A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Society Awareness Response on Epidemic Diseases (CARE-D), on Monday, cautioned hospitals against rejecting patients with symptoms similar to Ebola.
Describing such development as capable of fuelling mismanagement of the Ebola epidemic, the NGO warned that the nation should strive to avoid a repeat of challenges regarding improper handling of HIV/AIDS disease when it was initially recorded in the country.
Addressing a press conference in Osogbo on Monday, the leader of the group, Mr Aremu Stephen, decried the poor level of engagement of civil societies and communities in the approach to tackle EVD, stressing that government-led response to the scourge focussed more on its effects on the health sector.
While accusing some hospitals of rejecting patients with similar symptoms relating to EVD, the organisation said such action might lead to unnecessary loss of lives.
According to him, due to poor understanding of the disease and how it can be managed, “a patient living with HIV, but manifesting symptoms relating to Ebola was rejected in several hospitals he went to for medical help in Lagos. It is frightening that medial personnel could do such a thing.
“We have also had reports from other states in the country of rejection of patients by health care giver over the fear that they may be Ebola patients. So far, reports from all these rejected patients indicated that they are not carrying the disease, but were denied attention by those that should take care of them,” Aremu asserted.
Aremu, however, advocated for the active involvement of civil society groups by all tiers of government in monitoring Ebola disease, expressing optimism that this approach would go a long way in controlling the spread and debilitating effect of EVD..
Describing such development as capable of fuelling mismanagement of the Ebola epidemic, the NGO warned that the nation should strive to avoid a repeat of challenges regarding improper handling of HIV/AIDS disease when it was initially recorded in the country.
Addressing a press conference in Osogbo on Monday, the leader of the group, Mr Aremu Stephen, decried the poor level of engagement of civil societies and communities in the approach to tackle EVD, stressing that government-led response to the scourge focussed more on its effects on the health sector.
While accusing some hospitals of rejecting patients with similar symptoms relating to EVD, the organisation said such action might lead to unnecessary loss of lives.
According to him, due to poor understanding of the disease and how it can be managed, “a patient living with HIV, but manifesting symptoms relating to Ebola was rejected in several hospitals he went to for medical help in Lagos. It is frightening that medial personnel could do such a thing.
“We have also had reports from other states in the country of rejection of patients by health care giver over the fear that they may be Ebola patients. So far, reports from all these rejected patients indicated that they are not carrying the disease, but were denied attention by those that should take care of them,” Aremu asserted.
Aremu, however, advocated for the active involvement of civil society groups by all tiers of government in monitoring Ebola disease, expressing optimism that this approach would go a long way in controlling the spread and debilitating effect of EVD..
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