By: Jesse Everly, Yenagoa
The Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, has called on residents of the state not to panic over the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the country.
The Governor stated this at the Banquet Hall in Yenagoa today during the 16th edition of the Bayelsa State Monthly Transparency Briefing.
He stated that Bayelsa State was among the first states to setup systems in order to curb the disease, noting that the Deputy Governor of the State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah, went to inspect the facilities while he was away.
Gov. Dickson gave thanks to God that no case of the Ebola Virus Disease has been recorded so far in Bayelsa and prayed God that there should be no case of EVD at all in the state.
The Governor lamented that it is not over yet because of what is happening very close to Bayelsa State, urging residents to report any suspected case of Ebola to the appropriate bodies.
According to Gov. Dickson, this is not the time to rely on native doctors or prayers warriors. He also advised that this is not the time to hide sick people or attend to them secretly. He warned medical workers not to allow what happened in Rivers State to repeat itself in Bayelsa State.
He also stated that Ebola is not a death sentence; that there are chances of survival to those who are detected early and attended to properly by the medical specialists which the State Government has put in place.
While thanking the members of the Health Committee team for their efforts in sensitizing the public and other measures put in place towards tackling any suspected cases of the Ebola, Gov. Dickson stated that “there is no Ebola in the state, and we pray that there should be no case.”
