Ms Faith Eboigbe, Chairperson, National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Lagos chapter, on Sunday urged Nigerians not to relax even though the country had become free of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
Eboigbe spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos as the NANTAP organised an EVD sensitisation programme for artistes at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
“Some people are of the view that EVD has been overflogged, and that it should be allowed to rest.
“I believe that as far as people travel from one place to another, we are not yet safe.
“We should still create awareness and make people to be hygiene conscious and do the needful to prevent it,” she said.
According to Eboigbe, the aim of the sensitisation programme is to make Nigerians and artistes aware that “it is not yet time to sing Haleluyah”.
Prof. Fidelis Njokanma, a Pediatrician and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Lagos State University (LASU), said that sensitisation of Nigerians needed to continue.
“We must continue to protect ourselves and make sure that nobody imports the disease into our country again.
“We must maintain a high level of hygiene,” he said.
Njokanma said that health and other authorities in Nigeria fought gallantly to rid the country of EVD but “we should not get careless about it.”
In her contribution, Mrs George Omowunmi, Deputy Director, Health Education, Lagos State Ministry of Health, said that the ministry would collaborate with NANTAP to organise stage plays that can send messages quicker.
“When the messages on Ebola are sent through plays, they will stick and people will not forget them easily.
“That the country was able to contain Ebola does not mean that something might not happen again.
“We should be on our toes and keep on fighting; we want to raise a lot of awareness through songs, plays, hand bills and other means possible, for the information to stick,” she said.
NAN reports that the late Mr Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American, imported the virus into Nigeria on July 20.
It resulted in seven deaths in the country but the virus has now been contained with no one having it presently in Nigeria.
NAN
