US to quarantine Nigerian medical personnel

      

The United States-based Nigerian health professionals, comprising medical doctors, nurses and pharmacists on medical mission in Abia State, said they would be quarantined for 21 days for Ebola virus when they return to the US.

Punch news reports that the leader of the 75-man team and the National President of Abia State National Association of North America, Dr. Christian Ike, disclosed this at a press conference in Umuahia after the team’s one-week free medical services in Abia State.

He decried the stigmatisation of Ebola-infested countries by the West, wondering why visitors to Nigeria would still be isolated even when the country had been certified   “Ebola-free.”

Ike said members of the team who are Abia indigenes and health experts made a lot of sacrifices to sponsor the medical mission. He said that their passion for the people was their driving force.

He said the gesture was part of their contributions towards the development of the state and to complement the efforts of the state government in the health sector.

Ike said the team had committed over $420,000 to drugs alone, besides transport fare, accommodation and other logistics. He added that all members of the team, comprising 24 doctors, 21 pharmacists and 30 nurses, were all volunteers.

The team, which grouped itself into three for wider coverage, conducted services in well- publicized and strategic hospitals and public institutions in all the three senatorial districts in the state. It also extended the gesture to the state’s police command.