The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has confirmed that Nigeria’s index Ebola patient has departed Abuja for Switzerland.
According to Pate, the patient departed earlier on Monday, 26th October, with his approval.
The patient was evacuated by air ambulance through the Abuja International Airport.
The Minister’s statement said the 42-year-old patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious, and communicating, with laboratory results moving toward baseline.
He noted that she remains infectious, which is why strict protocols were maintained during the transfer.
Naija News understands that the patient was evacuated together with her spouse, who has remained asymptomatic.
Prof. Pate thanked the clinical staff for the high-quality care provided and the public health personnel who ensured the evacuation followed best-practice measures.
He said further updates would be given later in the afternoon once the patient and her spouse arrive in Switzerland.
The Minister urged citizens to remain vigilant and rely only on information from credible sources, adding that all public health measures continue in Nigeria to contain the imported case.
Recall that the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats has assured Nigerians it can handle Ebola in the country.
The Chairman of the Task Force and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said this while speaking to newsmen after the group’s emergency meeting at the State House on Wednesday.
Gbajabiamila said the Task Force has been working behind the scenes since it was inaugurated in June this year. He added that this is why it was easy to detect the index case.
He assured Nigerians that the Task Force would strengthen whatever needed strengthening, the protocols, and ensure more rigorous enforcement moving forward.
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