The Nigeria Labour Congress ,NLC has commended the efforts that ensured victory against theEbola virus in Nigeria.NLC in a press release issued by Comrade Issa Aremu , its Vice President, who doubles as General-Secretary, Textile Garment Workers’ Union, NUTGTWN said, “We are delighted with the cheering news about Nigeria being declared free of Ebola by The World Health Organisation (WHO). This is a credit to Nigeria and all Nigerians.
“We commend the efforts and measures taken by the Federal government of Nigeria, State governments particularly the Lagos State government and all stakeholders to curb the spread of the Ebola disease in Nigeria. It is a mark of good governance that Nigeria applied a bi-partisan national approach to curb and curtail an epidemic of a disease without a cure and record a globally acclaimed achievement.
The statement urged government to “ apply same approach to eradicate polio, malaria and cholera.”
NLC also cautioned against complacency. “As we congratulate the government and all Nigerians for the victory against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), we must avoid any form of complacency by both the government and the citizenry. Relevant government agencies must remain on duty to guard against any new infection in Nigeria. It is all about good governance;strengthen the public healthcare system, motivate health workers, continue compulsory screening on the nation’s boarders, airports, seaports and ensure use of hand sanitizers”, the statement said .
The statement said further that Nigeria’s victory cannot be sustained if the Ebola disease continues to ravage West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. An injury to one country is certainly an injury that poses a serious threat to other countries.Nigeria must therefore give necessary support to the neighbouring West African countries being ravaged by Ebola disease. We are not safe unless our neighbours are also safe.
Also NLC commended “the Cuban government for sending a record team of medical personnel to join the fight against Ebola in West Africa. Cuba had sent 165 health workers to hard-hit Sierra Leone, the largest of such medical solidarity workers in history, according to World Health Organisation (WHO). We urge other countries of the world to borrow a leaf from Cuba and help in the effort to eradicate the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in particular and the world at large.”
