As part of efforts to prevent spread of the
deadly Ebola virus disease into the country, a
federal government and Lagos State health
delegation yesterday visited the General
Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All
Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua, to
explore ways of averting the spread of the
epidemic in the country.
In the meeting with the cleric, the delegation
led by the Lagos State Commissioner for
Health, Dr. Jide Idris, offered to work with the
health team of the church in the areas of
technical assistance, medical advice and
training to ensure that no victim of the deadly
disease came to the church from any of the
affected countries undetected.
Idris said the delegation decided to pay the
visit to the church because of the recognition
that the church is an International Christian
Centre whose congregation comprise people
from all over the world, including the
countries of the West African sub-region
where the Ebola disease is presently ravaging
the populations.
He said the visit is one governments strategy
of sensitizing faith-based organizations on
the need to cooperate with the government
to prevent the spread of the disease in the
country, by educating their adherents to
report health issues to medical experts.
The commissioner explained that the federal
and the Lagos State government are working
hard on how to prevent a spread of the vi rus
into the country
Idris said the delegation felt that because the
church had some people from the West
African sub-region as members and because
of the influx and population of the
congregation there might be need to check
and also raise the awareness level on the
disease in the church.
He said, We have our strategies that we
intend to share with you. Again we need to
know the resources you have here because
whether it is one or two cases, if they are
allowed to get out, it is a major problem. We
are here to work together on how to contain
this disease.
Also speaking, the director, Centre for
Disease Control, Professor Abdulsalami
Nasidi, said that the visit was to inform the
Synagogue leader of the deadliness of the
Ebola virus and to ensure that it does not
escape into the country.
He added that it had become such a big
problem in the sub-region that it was already
affecting the economies of the countries
involved.
Nasidi, an epidemiologist and virologist,
described the visit as a positive engagement
mission. We are here to engage you
positively. We know the powers of this House
and your powers and we are duty-bound to
protect you and your congregation, he said.
He particularly singled out the countries of
the West African sub-Region Liberia, Sierra-
Leone and Guinea as the greatest worry of
the Government at the moment because they
are the countries that have already been
affected by the deadly disease.
In his response, Prophet Temitope Joshua
promised to work with the government to
ensure that the disease did not spread into
the country.
The cleric revered for his healing powers said
he would put some measures in place to
ensure that people from the already affected
countries do not enter Nigeria.
One of such measures, he said, is to visit any
of the countries when necessary rather than
allow their residents come into Nigeria.
He also promised to suspend some of his
major Church healing programmes for a few
weeks adding, I am ready to work with you. I
love my country and I will be ready to work
with you. Even if it is a rumour, there is need
to secure our environment to ensure that it is
safe.
