Universities, poly allay fears, say: We are prepared to tackle Ebola outbreak on campus

Efforts to keep the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) at bay was reinforced at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) recently, as principal officers of the university and guests attending senate meeting were screened by health officials. At a special senate session held in honour of the late Emeritus Jacob Festus Ade Ajayi, senate members and dignitaries were meticulously screened by health officials, who stood sentry at the gate of the Senate Chambers. 

Although the university has been silent on the Ebola scourge, it was gathered that the recent Ebola scare at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, rattled universities across the country, prompting the public screening of staff, students and guest at public functions on campus. This is also in response to recommendations from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), urging academic institutions to take preventive measures against the dreaded virus.
Investigations by our reporters revealed that series of workshops and seminars were organized by some universities and polytechnics for students on campus with a view to preventing the spread of the virus on campus.
At the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, the Director, Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the institution took proactive steps to check any possible outbreak of the dreaded disease.
“Our Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, is a science researcher. He launched into action and set up a committee on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and inaugurated the committee which work in two parts, one is to intensify action and to sensitize the university community. The committee released several information. We are also disseminating this information to everyone on campus. The Pharmaceutical Science, led by the Acting Dean, Dr Uzochukwu, is working very hard to make sure we succeed as much as we can. We run programmes on Ebola virus on the Unizik FM everytime,” he said.
For the management of Anambra State University now Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Uli, Anambra state, the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a very big challenge that must be addressed with the urgency it deserves. The institution organised seminars and enlightenment programmes on EVD for the university community. Both staff and students were educated on what they should know and what to do if they come in contact with an infected person.
Dr Emmanuel Ekwesianya, the Chief Medical Director of the institution said the management and medical centre have taken adequate steps to tackle any possible outbreak of the disease on their campus.
“We have already purchased the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all our medical staff who are mostly at risk of contracting the virus. We ensure that we sanitise anybody that comes to our medical centre. We are also organising series of workshops to sensitize our students and entire university community. We have also sanitised the entire university premises as the easiest way to contact the disease is living in a dirty environment”, he said.
When our reporter visited the Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State, it was gathered that the institution also sensitized the students with several lectures and awareness programmes against the dreaded virus, even as the management provided the students with some gadgets like hand sanitizer to aid the fight against the spread of the virus.
The Public Relations Officer, Okopoly Mr Obini Onuchukwu said the institution is fully prepared to handle any outbreak of the deadly virus. “We are very conscious of the deadly nature of the virus. We have taken adequate precaution against the disease in our institution.
“We organised series of lectures, sensitization and awareness campaign against the spread of the virus. We just concluded a one-day programme for all our students and any moment from now, that of our lecturers will commence. We have also redeployed to strategic areas by providing sanitizing gadgets where people can, at intervals, sanitize their hands. The institution also took a step further by sanitizing the school premises,” he said.
The University of Benin (UNIBEN) also took the fight against the spread of Ebola virus seriously by ensuring that students sanitize their hands before they are allowed to enter the university library. At the John Harris Library, the ritual of hand washing is the gate pass to the resource facility. The management of the institution also provided drums of water and hand sanitizers at the entrance of the main library, MTN Library and the Library extension.
One of the students, Precious Oboh, described the hand washing exercise as a welcome development that will help students maintain good hygiene.
Also, the Director of Health Services Department, Dr Comfort Enofe, said the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) has no facility to detect the Ebola virus. It was also gathered that none of the health institutions in Edo State has the facility to detect the virus.
Dr Enofe explained the preventive measures taken by the institution to keep the deadly Ebola virus at bay saying, “We have sent circular to all students to report all sick persons to the health centre, properly cook their meats and avoid eating fruits not washed and those partially eaten by pests and birds, and avoid contact with sick persons”. She added, “Being a university, student have responsibilities, as students are no longer under the watchful eyes of their parents. We are also encouraging them to stop all unnecessary travels to areas where the disease have been confirmed and to avoid casual sex.”
At the entrance of the health centre, a medical personnel stood at the entrance, fully kitted and checking the temperature of visitors. On the rationale behind this, Dr Enofe said: “We are simply checking for temperature and not Ebola virus disease. Since a high temperature is one of the symptoms of the disease (EVD), when we find anyone with high temperature we alert the medical professionals that would attend to the patient to take accurate protective measures in the course of taking the history, examination, treating and counselling such patients. While further investigation is ongoing, we don’t have the necessary equipment to detect EVD even in UBTH and the whole of Edo state. Hence we simply test for temperature.”
Enofe added that the health centre has stepped up its service delivery and that plans are under way to make the pharmacy department offer 24-hour service to students and staff..This is simply because of complaints by both staffs and students that they spend long hours waiting to see a doctor, thereby missing classes and absent from duty posts.
One of the students that visited the health centre, Janet Okoduwa, praised the initiative, which she said would quicken service delivery. “When I came here the lady outside checked my temperature before allowing me to see the doctor. Initially I didn’t allow her and I told her that I don’t have Ebola. She replied that she is not screening for Ebola but just temperature before I allowed her. It is a welcome development because we need to protect our health workers who are at risk of the disease.”
The university of Benin Medical Students Association (UBEMSSA) has also joined in the campaign to stop Ebola spread. The association has made posters available on the disease spread, symptoms and prevention