Describing the declaration as a “dignifying deal” on the health ministry’s work, Onyebuchi said Nigeria could not have conquered Ebola without a strong, effective leadership and partnership.
“The war is certainly not over,” Chukwu warned, adding: “A reinforced Ebola virus could still invade Nigeria. Given the risk of the possibility of re-infection, there’s need to maintain a high alert at all our ports of entry.”
Chukwu called for a supranational structure led by the United Nations and operated through regional groups such as ECOWAS to maintain momentum against infectious diseases like Ebola.
“We cannot afford to lower our guards. This risk and the risk to other countries can only be eliminated through the setting up of a system similar to the Nigerian one under the leadership of the UN but with the operational wing built around ECOWAS.”
Close to 600 Nigerian health workers have volunteered to join anti-Ebola efforts in seriously affected Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, where the disease has killed more than 4,500 people. An estimated 70% of those infected have died in those countries. But the Nigerian workers would require coordination from regional bodies like ECOWAS and the African Union. The WHO officially declared Senegal Ebola-free on Friday.
