Osun moves to open Ebola isolation centre within a week, plans jingles
- Osun's Ebola steering committee agreed to reopen a designated isolation facility within one week.
- The state will run radio and TV jingles in Yoruba, Hausa and other languages to raise awareness.
- The federal government says 15 states have not yet updated their Ebola response plans.
Osun State is preparing to reopen a designated emergency isolation centre within one week, as part of steps to keep Ebola Virus Disease out of the state.
The decision came from a meeting of the State Steering Committee on Ebola Virus Disease, which reviewed the state's readiness. The meeting's report was prepared by the Public Health Operations Centre in the Osun Ministry of Health.
The committee also wants wider public awareness, with health promotion teams expanding radio and television jingles in Yoruba, Hausa and other local languages.
What the state plans to do
According to the report, the state is to reclaim, prepare and open its designated isolation facility within one week. The committee said Ebola preparedness meetings should be copied across all local government areas, with Local Government Rapid Response Teams taking part.
The Ministry of Health is to begin training healthcare responders, starting with existing master trainers, and arrange dedicated emergency ambulances for suspected cases.
Other recommendations include holding bays in selected hospitals, restocking protective supplies, stronger surveillance and closer work with private health practitioners so suspected cases are detected and reported early.
The report said the plan will only work with timely approvals from the executive, enough funding, clear duties and regular monitoring by the steering committee.
Why it matters
For ordinary residents, the push means more information on how Ebola spreads and where to report symptoms, in languages people actually speak at home. It also means health workers in Osun should get training and protective gear before any case appears.
The state's move follows a federal directive to hospitals nationwide to set aside isolation beds and tighten infection control. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said 21 states have stepped up preparations, while 15 are yet to update their response plans.
Pate said the national response is being coordinated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, with support from the World Health Organisation and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
What happens next: Osun residents should expect new jingles on radio and TV in the coming days, and the isolation centre is expected to open within a week if approvals come through.
