By Oche Otorkpa
Here are a few tips
to help every Nigerians protect themselves from the Ebola disease:
1.
Avoid bush meat or any meat you are not sure
of its source.
2.
Wash your hands frequently with detergent,
soap using clean water.
3.
Avoid trips to Ebola
endemic countries (DRC ,UGANDA , CONGO, GABON DRC etc)
4.
Get a hand sanitizer
for people to use in your office and educate them on the importance of the sanitizers,
Get one for your kids to use in school
frequently and if possible for their class.
5.
3. Avoid buying food
stuffs, clothing or other personal materials from markets/shops that share the
same vicinity with live or roasted bush meat dealer’s or sellers
6.
Be careful with hands
when using railings on the stairs, door knobs and other utilities used by the
public.
7.
Gloves and other appropriate
protective clothing should be worn when handling sick animals or their tissues
8.
Watch out for people with flu-like symptoms such
as sudden fever
9.
Avoid Pig farms,
Pig farms in Africa play a role in the amplification of infection because of
the presence of fruit bats on these farms.
10.
Avoid bat meats and bat products
FOR HEALTH WORKERS
WHO states as follows,
Standard precautions are
recommended in the care and treatment of all patients regardless of their
perceived or confirmed infectious status. They include the basic level of
infection control—hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment to avoid
direct contact with blood and body fluids, prevention of needle stick and
injuries from other sharp instruments, and a set of environmental controls.
EVD is a severe acute viral
illness often characterized by the sudden onset of
1.Fever 2.Intense weakness
3.Muscle pain,
4.Headache and sore throat.
5.Followed by vomiting, Diarrhea, Rash, Impaired kidney and Liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding
Oche Otorkpa is a WHO Trained IDSR Specialist
