By Rosemary Okoduwa
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has constituted an Ebola Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee to strengthen the state’s readiness to prevent and respond to any potential Ebola threat, with Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, appointed as chairman.
The committee comprises representatives of key state ministries, including Health, Environment, Livestock, Local Government, Finance, and Information and Communication, as well as the Edo State House of Assembly Committee on Health, the Specialor on Health, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Department of Port Health and the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
Security agencies represented on the committee include the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), while participating health institutions include the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Edo State University Teaching Hospital (EDSUTH), Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Edo Specialist Hospital, Central Hospital, Benin, and Stella Obasanjo Hospital.
Professional bodies on the committee include the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) and the Association of Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Edo State chapter, alongside traditional, religious and community representatives, including a traditional ruler, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) leader, the Chief Imam and a market women’s leader.
Development partners and relevant agencies also represented include the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Nigeria Red Cross Society, DataFi, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, bringing together stakeholders across the health, security and community sectors.
The committee will coordinate its activities through the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), which will oversee critical response areas, including coordination, epidemiology, surveillance, infection prevention and control, risk communication, logistics, laboratory services, case management, and safe and dignified burial practices.
A PHEOC Manager will supervise operational activities to ensure effective coordination and implementation of preparedness and response measures, with the committee expected to facilitate collaboration among relevant agencies and institutions in addressing any potential public health emergency.
A stakeholders’ meeting on Ebola emergency preparedness and response will be scheduled soon to bring committee members together to discuss strategies, strengthen coordination and ensure that Edo State is adequately prepared to respond to any potential threat.
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