Enugu State government has announced that the six remaining persons who had contact with a nurse who escaped from Lagos to Enugu have been certified free of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
A nurse, who had contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian who brought Ebola to the country had sneaked out of the quarantine centre in Lagos to visit her family in Enugu.
The Commissioner of Health in Enugu State, Dr. George Eze, however, disclosed yesterday during the opening ceremony of a two-week certificate course organised by the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu in collaboration with the West African College of Nursing in Enugu, that those who had contacts with the nurse were now free.
The commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Medical Services in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Ndubuisi Ejeh, however, stressed the need for people to always keep their environments clean.
He warned that there was need to continue the sensitisation on the dreaded Ebola virus, saying at present, it had no known cure.
He advised people to ensure they washed their hands after handshakes or when they retired home.
Earlier, the Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu Dr. Jojo Onwukwe, said they had continued with the culture of organising in-house seminars and workshops, adding that the development had so far repositioned the members of staff towards effective service delivery.
Onwukwe said it was no longer arguable that staff welfare had been given unprecedented attention going by the huge “ongoing constructions in the hospital.”
His words: “Since the inception of my assumption of office, we have reiterated our vision and mission statement for Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, New Haven, Enugu, not only in words, but in all actions. The events that have unfolded in the past year are enough evidence of our commitment in lifting this institution to an Olympian height.
“Being the first Eastern Neuropsychiatric Hospital in the country long before some of these other hospitals, we have a prestigious pedigree respected all over the country. Indeed, our products are our pride, properly tutored, well-baked, sound and knowledgeable, with 12 consultants, 24 readers and more than 315 senior nurses as well as students undergoing training in this hospital.”
Delivering his inaugural lecture entitled, “Psychiatry and Mental Health in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects,” Abia  State Governor, Theodore Orji, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Nkpa Agu Nkpa, disclosed that his administration had given priority to the health sector.
Orji pointed out that there was need to properly equip the psychiatric health providers as their was challenging.
He said no nation could effectively manage mental ill health except by first managing the service providers.
Orji therefore, advised government at all levels to make treatment of mental illness a priority.

Ebola: Enugu declares 6 free of virus