Nigeria EVD volunteers are back on HWN EBOLA UPDATE

After successfully helping to halt the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus  in Liberia and Sierra Leone, a total of 250 Nigeria volunteers returned into the country on Sunday.

The volunteers who were deployed to the West Africa sub-region on December 3, 2014 were accompanied with a commemorative plate from Liberian government, bearing the inscription “The Love of Liberty”—a message of gratitude from the Liberian people.

The volunteers worked in Liberia and Sierra Leone after containing the deadly virus in the country following the importation of Ebola into Nigeria by one Liberian Patrick Sawyer.

The heroic volunteers who are in perfect conditions, free of the ailment are soon expected to be received by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The chartered Ethiopia airplane carrying the returnees landed at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport at about 2.38am Sunday morning.

The flight was delayed for about three hours before taken off from Freetown. They were later driven to a hotel in Central Abuja after security checks and screening at the airport.

One of the officials told journalists that the volunteers did not contact any infection at all; adding "They had spent between 26 to 42 days under inspection as their stint ended, before their journey back to Nigeria, but would still be put under scrutiny.

By the regulation they have all gone beyond the period [required for monitoring]but we shall apply the same scrutiny to give Nigerians the assurance that nobody is bringing in Ebola again,” said Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo.

These are the most educated, experienced, exposed individuals in terms of knowledge of Ebola and how to fight it.

Olawale Mayegun, who convened the contingent before their deployment to join other AU volunteers in Ebola-stricken countries last December, said the volunteers followed protocol required for dealing with Ebola.

We thank them for following our protocol. No contamination,” said Mayegun.

They are an asset for Nigeria and an asset for Africa. Let us treat them as heroes and heroines. Nigeria is proud of them.

Permanent secretary for health, Linus Awute, spoke of “success that a disease that came in to threaten the sub-region has been suppressed.

We were able to do this through the collective undertaking of the entire pop of Nigeria. While you were there everybody prayed and wished you well, he added.

Everybody is looking on Africa today, that Africa solidarity initiative is working,” said a volunteer.

The first step to dealing with Ebola is to deal with fear. So we overcame fear and we triumphed.

Liberia was declared free of Ebola last week by the World Health Organisation. No new cases have been reported in Sierra Leone lately, officials said, though the last suspected cases are still under observation for 42 days before they are declared free.