Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, has said the federal government has not imposed a ban on large political gatherings following the confirmed case of Ebola disease.
Pate spoke on Thursday at a press briefing on the Ebola situation in Abuja.
He said the ministry would consult relevant experts and base any decision to restrict large gatherings on scientific evidence and public health considerations.
“At this moment, there is no indication that requires us to alter the course of large gatherings that have been planned,” Pate said.
“But if the situation changes, we’ll make a determination. We’ll consult broadly with the right experts and make that determination.”
The minister urged Nigerians to rely on information from credible health experts and warned against spreading rumours and misinformation about the outbreak.
He also cautioned political leaders against politicising the public health situation, saying health is an issue that unites Nigerians across political, ethnic and religious divides.
“Whatever decisions that will be made will be purely based on public health scientific considerations, evidence, and what is considered the best interest of the Nigerian public,” he said.
On Tuesday, Pate confirmed a case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that 44 close contacts had been for tracing to prevent further transmission.
The minister said the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
He said she was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.
On Wednesday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said the Ebola diagnosed in the FCT has to do with a diplomat whose condition has deteriorated into “multi-organ failure”.
NCDC said the Ebola case detected in Nigeria is the Bundibugyo strain, which is behind a major DR Congo outbreak.
