President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
welcomes today’s declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that
Nigeria is now officially Ebola-free after 42 days without any incidence of the
Ebola Virus Disease.
President Jonathan dedicates the
certification to the many patriotic health workers, volunteers and ordinary
Nigerians who worked tirelessly, some of them paying the ultimate price, to
stop the deadly virus in its track after it entered the country in July this
year.
The President seizes this
opportunity to also reiterate his appreciation of the contributions of state
governments, WHO and other international health organisations, relatives of
infected persons and other Nigerians who either courageously underwent the
rigours of being quarantined or complied with all directives issued by health
authorities to defeat the virus.
He believes that Nigeria’s
globally-acclaimed success against Ebola is a testimony to what Nigerians can
achieve if they set aside their differences and work together, and calls on
Nigerians to strive to replicate the unity of purpose and all-hands-on-deck
approach adopted against Ebola in other areas of national life.
As the nation applauds the success
of its collective effort to stop the transmission of the Ebola Virus within
Nigeria however, the President warns that the entire country must remain fully
alert and vigilant against the re-entry of the virus.
President Jonathan fully shares
the view expressed by WHO in its congratulatory message to Nigeria that while
we have won a battle against Ebola, the war will only truly end when West
Africa, Africa and the world are declared free of Ebola.
The President consequently directs
that all the anti-Ebola measures taken after the entry of the virus into the
country should remain in place and that health officials should continue to
actively screen persons entering the country through its air, land and sea
borders for any sign of the virus.
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