By Our Reporter

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, says Nigerians should remain vigilant, shun panic, and stop spreading misinformation about Ebola virus disease.

Speaking on Wednesday after meeting with Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president in Abuja, Pate said citizens should rely on verified public health information from trusted sources rather than circulating false rumours.

The minister said the federal government is collaborating with Uganda to manage the situation.

“All I can tell you is that we are collaborating with our sister African nation of Uganda,” Pate said.

“What is important is that we have found this one case. We are doing contact tracing, and we are putting containment measures to ensure that it doesn’t go into our population.”

He urged Nigerians to remain calm and communicate responsibly, adding that the situation should be taken seriously without causing fear.

“Nigerians should be reassured. We must be vigilant, but not panic, and people should respect public health information from trusted sources, and not spread misinformation and false rumours,” Pate said.

The minister said Nigeria has the public health institutions and expertise needed to respond to the situation.

Pate added that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) had activated its incident management system (IMS), with response teams working round the clock and the relevant task force coordinating containment efforts.

“They are working 24/7, and the task force is also active. So, we have things in place that give us confidence that Nigeria can weather this public health crisis,” he said.

He said the government would continue to monitor developments and provide updates as verified information became available.

“If the situation changes, we’ll come out and inform Nigerians,” he said.

Pate reiterated that the immediate priority was to contain the imported case and prevent its spread within the population.

The meeting between Pate and Gbajabiamila came nearly 24 hours after the federal government announced a confirmed case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On Tuesday, Pate said 44 close contacts had been identified for tracing to prevent further transmission.

He added that the patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, had been admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.

..Warn against self-medication, chemists

By Uzo Ugwunze

The Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA), Anambra State Chapter, has taken its World Sight Day 2026 campaign to Achina community in Aguata LGA, offering free eye screening, treatment, medication and spectacles to residents in a renewed drive to prevent avoidable blindness.

The outreach, held on September 9, 2026 under this year’s global theme, “Love Your Eyes. Every Story Counts,” was led by the Chairman of the Anambra State Chapter, Dr. Chiamaka Mba who said that the initiative was deliberately taken to the hinterland to reach underserved populations who have limited access to professional eye care. “We came all the way to Achina because we want to reach the interior villages. Most people in urban areas have access, but those in the interior face restrictions’.

Dr. Mba explained that activities for the celebration started earlier in the week with radio and television sensitization, where members educated the public on healthy eye habits and dangers of harmful practices. The Chapter also staged a Walk for Sight on Thursday, before moving its full clinical team to Achina for the grand finale of free services.

At the venue, residents received comprehensive checks including blood pressure, intraocular pressure and visual acuity tests. With a team of eight optometrists on ground, the Association set a target of attending to about 500 beneficiaries. She said adult beneficiaries who need near vision support were given reading glasses, while children were assessed for special provision and referral.

“The Association is also providing a full referral and follow-up pathway for cases beyond the outreach. Patients who require further investigation and specialized care are being referred to designated eye centres for continued management. Those diagnosed with cataract and other surgical conditions are being registered and booked for surgery on designated surgical days, as cataract operations are not performed during field outreaches.

Dr. Mba used the opportunity to warn against dangerous traditional practices, including instilling urine, breast milk and fermented cassava water into the eyes. She explained that the eye has a normal flora that protects it, and introducing such substances disrupts that defence and can cause combined viral, fungal and bacterial infections that may lead to permanent blindness.

She stressed that the first point of call for any eye problem should be a registered eye clinic and not chemists or quacks, noting that optometrists undergo up to eight years of training to qualify. She urged patients to strictly adhere to prescribed drugs and never stop medication midway without doctor’s advice, as incomplete treatment worsens eye conditions.

She further advised on preventive care and regular examination. According to her, children should have eye checks before they start school, teenagers and young adults up to 27 years should check every two years, adults from 30 to 50 years should check once yearly, while those 50 years and above should check twice yearly because of higher risk from hypertension, diabetes and age-related diseases. Those with family history of glaucoma should check even more frequently as advised by their doctor.

Addressing cost concerns, Dr. Mba said that eye care is not expensive compared to the cost of blindness, and urged Ndi Anambra to use general hospitals where optometrists are now posted across the state. She added that with phones, laptops and prolonged sunlight exposure, residents should seek professional advice on protective spectacles, know their family medical history, and embrace the campaign message to love their eyes by protecting and regularly examining them.

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the federal government to resolve outstanding welfare and professional issues affecting its members.

At its 46th annual general meeting on Sunday in Calabar, Cross Rivers state, NARDS warned that failure to resolve outstanding issues could trigger industrial action.

According to the resolutions read by Ogar Emmanuel Idoko, its national president, NARD expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation of agreements reached between the association and the federal government.

The association said that prolonged delays had become unacceptable.

They demanded immediate action on outstanding issues relating to remuneration, career progression, professional allowances, excessive workload, manpower shortages and the general welfare of resident doctors.

It called for “the immediate implementation of agreements reached with the federal government, particularly those relating to improved conditions of service and professional development”.

“The government concluded the review of existing remuneration and professional salary structures for doctors, saying the current framework no longer adequately reflected prevailing economic realities,” the resolution reads.

The association demanded appropriate compensation for excess workload arising from manpower shortages in hospitals.

It noted that resident doctors are increasingly carrying additional responsibilities.

NARD called for standardised templates for compensation for excess workload and reliable data to justify payments to doctors performing duties beyond their normal responsibilities.

It expressed concern over attacks on health workers and called for the full implementation of policies and anti-assault measures designed to protect doctors and other medical personnel in hospitals.

It further raised concern over the continuing migration of doctors and other health professionals from Nigeria..

The association urged the federal ministry of health and social welfare to urgently address the factors responsible for the continued migration of medical professionals.

The association called on state governments to prioritise the welfare of doctors and other health workers employed by their respective institutions and ensure the implementation of relevant welfare policies.