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Panic In PH As Ebola Claims Doctor; Wife, Child Quarantined …100 On Watch List …Scarcity Of Hand Sanitisers Hit PH
There was panic in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, yesterday, as the state government confirmed the death of a medical doctor from Ebola virus.
Some of the residents, who rushed to the big supermarkets to procure hand sanitisers were frustrated as attendants told them they have run out of the product.
Commissioner of Health, Dr Sampson Parker, who confirmed this yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said the late Dr Ikechukwu Sam Enemuo died last Friday from suspected Ebola virus, adding that a test on his corpse released on Wednesday confirmed that the deceased died from the virus.
He said the late Enemuo met a staff of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at a hotel in the D/Line Area of Port Harcourt, noting that the ECOWAS staff was on the team of those that received the index case, late Patrick Sawyer.
The Tide gathered that Dr Ikechukwu Enemuo, until his death, practised as a director of Sam Steel Clinic, on the East-West Road axis of Rumuokoro, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to the commissioner, one week after the ECOWAS staff left Port Harcourt, the late Enemuo took ill and was admitted at Good Heart Hospital, Evo Road, GRA, Port Harcourt, after he had been rejected by doctors at Prime Medical Centre, Rumuogba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Sources alleged that the hotel and both health facilities of Dr Enemuo and the hospital where he was treated before his death have been sealed by the government to check the spread of the virus.
The commissioner, said the wife of late Dr Enemuo, who is also a doctor, had fallen sick and had been quarantined, adding that about 100 persons who had primary or secondary contact with the late Dr Enemuo had been placed on watch list.
While appealing to residents of the state not to panic, the commissioner said adequate measures were in place to check the spread of the disease.
The diplomat, who caused his death was said to have sneaked out of where he was quarantined in Lagos State to get treatment at Sam Steel’s Hospital in Rivers State.
But this was after he had stayed in one of the hotels in Port Harcourt where the doctor ignorantly treated him.
Sam-Enemuo’s wife, who is said to have a three-month-old baby, is also reported to be down with symptoms of the EVD.
According to Parker, both mother and baby have been quarantined in Port Harcourt, while the hospitals and hotel involved in the EVD spread have been decontaminated.
He advised members of the public to call these numbers: 0816773393 and 0703632176 to report any suspected case of EVD.
“People are now being scanned before they are allowed entrance into some public hospitals, while experts from Emory University Hospital in the United States of America are on ground to train Rivers State health officials on how to tackle the outbreak,” he said.
His words: “My friends, brothers and sisters. The Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has directed me to make this solemn announcement to you.
“And it is with a heavy heart that I announce to you that the Ebola virus has claimed its first victim in Rivers State. Dr. Iyke Sam Enemuo died last Friday, August 22, 2014 as a result of what was suspected to be Ebola virus disease.
“The Rivers State Ministry of Health, on becoming aware of the conditions of his death, immediately commenced investigations and contact tracing.
“As at today, about 100 contacts from a hotel, patients of Dr. Enemuo and patients of the hospital where the late Enemuo was treated until his demise, have been identified and restricted in Rivers State.
“The locations are being decontaminated. I had promised to be open and candid with the public on our efforts to tackle the Ebola virus.
“From our investigations, some facts have emerged. A staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the team that received late Dr. Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American diplomat who died of Ebola haemorrhagic disease in Lagos, Nigeria made a trip to Port Harcourt where he checked into a hotel and met with Dr. Iyke Sam Enemuo.
“About a week after his departure, Dr. Iyke Enemuo took ill and was rushed to a hospital where he presented with symptoms of fever, diarrhoea and vomiting.
“In the course of treatment, the managing physician became suspicious and took samples for investigation. A few days after, Dr. Iyke Enemuo died on August 22, 2014. His body was deposited at a mortuary in Port Harcourt.
“Dr. Iyke Enemuo’s widow, who is also a medical doctor and who cared for him during his illness, has taken ill. She is being quarantined.
“A few hours ago, results of the test carried out on samples taken from Dr. Enemuo came back and was positive of Ebola Viral disease.
“The diplomat, who was seen by late Dr. Iyke Enemuo is alive and well. I urge every Rivers State citizen and resident to remain calm and go about their normal businesses. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water and avoid unnecessary body contacts till further notice.
“The Government of Rivers State is doing everything possible to contain the effects and spread of the Ebola virus. We have all the material and human resources we need to fight and defeat the deadly virus.
“Officials of the Federal Ministry of Health and other international agencies are already here working with the state ministry of health. Together, I believe we can contain the Ebola virus.
“I shall continue to update you as more information become available. Thank you, stay safe and God bless.”
However, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday confirmed that a medical doctor in Rivers State had died from the EVD.
Chukwu said that chief among information provided by the Rivers State Government were the name of the doctor who died as a result of the EVD infection, the name of his hospital and the details of the decontamination of the hotel where the diplomat and ECOWAS staff who infected him stayed while in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
He gave the doctor’s name as Iyke Sam-Enemuo while his hospital, Sam Steel Clinic, is on the East-West Road at Rumuokoro.
Chukwu told a news conference in Abuja that “this primary contact of Sawyer’s evaded our surveillance team in the last week of July 2014 and travelled out of Lagos to Port Harcourt.
“He consulted with a doctor and was apparently treated for some symptoms.
“After four days, following a manhunt for him, he returned to Lagos, by which time he was found to be without symptoms.
“This case would have been of no further interest since he had completed the 21 days of surveillance without any issue, but for the fact that the doctor who treated him died last Friday, August 22.
“Following the report of this death by the doctor’s widow the next day, the case had been thoroughly investigated and laboratory analysis showed that this doctor died of Ebola.”
The minister said the number of deaths arising from Ebola in Nigeria was now six.
He said: “Lagos had 13 cases, seven were treated and discharged.”
Chukwu said because the widow was symptomatic, she had been quarantined pending the outcome of laboratory tests.
He said as a result, several contacts had been traced, registered and placed under surveillance.
The minister said an Incident Management Committee had already deployed a team to Port Harcourt to work with the health authorities.
Chukwu stressed that just like the situation was effectively managed in Lagos and Enugu, the situation in Port Harcourt would also be managed.
He appealed to all contacts under surveillance to abide by the advice given to them by the Incident Management Committee.
The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, urged Nigerians to cooperate with the authority in combating the disease.
Maku said: “We can only defeat the disease with citizens’ cooperation. We appeal to those under surveillance to please abide by the rule. Do not travel.”
Maku urged Nigerians not to relent in observing and maintaining good hygiene practices, stressing that it was disastrous to assume that the disease had been contained so one would not contract it again.
He urged the media to re-enforce the awareness of the disease as it was a continuous fight and that nobody should take hygiene practices for granted.
He added: “Dealing with an epidemic has to do with education. A lot of the work has to do with the media.”
Meanwhile, Malls and Supermarkets in Port Harcourt have run out of stock of hand sanitizer product following its rush as it has been adduced to curb the contact of the Ebola Virus.
The Tide visited some Malls in Port Harcourt City and learnt that the rush had lasted between the last five days.
At the Port Harcourt Mall, a Spar Shopping complex, it was gathered that the product which was in large quantity got out of stock at the early hours of yesterday morning with more quest for it by customers and buyers.
One of the sales personnel at the mall said last Wednesday “the product just finished this morning. We had it in cartons but between Tuesday and this morning, the rush for it was too much and it has finished”.
At the Park ‘n’ Shop, the sales personnel who also confirmed the rush said “the quest for it now is unusual. Ours finished on Monday but we have ordered for it from Lagos and I believe that before today runs out it will arrive”.
The hand sanitizer, an earlier product of low patronage has now become an essential commodity and supplied even by private individuals resulting to a huge business for suppliers all in the bid to avoid the contact of the Ebola Virus as it has been said to have permeated the city of Port Harcourt.
Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi with technical partners on inspection of the Ebola Temporary Quarantine Site at Oduoha community in the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, yesterday.
Lady Godknows Ogbulu
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.