Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) is the human disease caused by the Ebola virus. Medical experts say symptoms typically start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pains, and headaches. Typically nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. At this point, some people begin to have bleeding problems.
Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) is the human disease caused by the Ebola virus. Medical experts say symptoms typically start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pains, and headaches. Typically nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. At this point, some people begin to have bleeding problems.
According to them, the virus may be acquired upon contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected animal (commonly monkeys or fruit bats). Fruit bats are believed to carry and spread the virus without being affected. Once human infection occurs, the disease may spread between people as well. Male survivors may be able to transmit the disease via semen for nearly two months.
The global shipping community is not isolated from the scare, hence in the last two weeks , there have been a more than casual attention to the possibility of the virus being spreading through global sea borne trade practitioners. A closer attention is being placed on ships’ crew and passengers.
Sadly, (and dues to no fault of hers) Nigeria has been included on the ‘must watch’ list of Ebola Virus-prone nations of West Africa.
Penultimate week, global shipping giant, Maersk Line suspended shore leave and crew change in Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea
In an obvious affirmation of the fact that the virus has been rampaging earlier than the world got to know, the shipping line added that, it has “been following the situation for some time and sent out our first advisory to vessels calling at West African ports on 26 March. We have subsequently sent out several updates – to crews and land-based personnel – outlining additional health measures as per the WHO recommendations.
Similarly, marine insurers have told their clients (which include ship owners) to ensure their crews take every precaution while calling at West African ports, including Nigeria.
In Nigeria, while the various governmentss are upbeat about education and sensitisation, not much can be seen or said about the nation’s maritime sector, especially the ports.
In his first reaction to the deadly Ebola Virus, the managing director of Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) acknowledged that the nation’s seaports are vulnerable to the virus. He went ahead to confirm that NPA had issued guidelines to its employees and port community stakeholders.
The statement from the NPA boss remains the only such from any maritime industry agency, including those whose personnel have first line contact with incoming ships and her crews.
There is a very great danger in the lack of education and guidelines from agencies such as: NIMASA, Nigerian Immigration Service, the Nigeria Customs Service, Port Health as well as Quarantine Service.
And to underscore this fear, the NPA CEO cautioned port operators, especially first line contact officers against negligence when dealing with foreigners and vulnerable group, saying however that NPA would leave no stone unturned to make sure that the pandemic does not hit Nigeria port facilities.
Like everything Nigeria, where no one takes anything serious until the worse happens, there have been no deliberate and calculated efforts on the part of either the terminal operators or the relevant agencies that we have identified above to either educate port users or provide information or the dos and donts, especially within the port environment.
The mass of people who throng to the ports on daily basis and their vulnerability makes it imperative that NPA, NIMASA and others should do something fast.
Also, if what some personnel of government agencies in the ports said about awareness and protection against the Ebola Virus is anything to go by, then there is a problem.
Corroborating our fears, for instance, the President, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders; Chief Eugene Nweke, said recently that the ports have no provision for public toilets and washbasins for port users.
“The management of the NPA has already issued guidelines meant to restrict movement of those going into the ports and those coming into the country via the ports. While this is commendable, it is also important that they the NPA should improve the sanitary conditions of the ports; this is also a good preventive measure”, he was quoted to have said.
It is also a fact that while the ports do not have public conveniences, especially for port users such as truck drivers who have to wait for days before loading their containers and licensed customs agents.
We think that, rather than pay lip service to Ebola Virus, relevant agencies should immediately sit together and marshal out plans for their personnel as well as port users as a whole.
In addition, we advise that both the health department of NPA should ensure that people coming into the country through the seaports are adequately checked and declared free of the virus. While doing this, NIMASA should also ensure that its personnel are well protected and adequately kitted before boarding ships for MLC 2006 compliance, as well as Port and Flag State inspections.
The danger here is, if a ship sailed into an Ebola-infested country, and finally arrives in Nigeria, what happens to first line contact officials whose duty it is to board.
And just as an official of the Nigerian Immigration Service told this newspaper recently, there are a lot of seaborne commercial activities between West African nations. So our attention shouldn’t be limited to oceanliners from Europe and Asia.
In addition to what NIMASA and Immigration can do, a measure of sanity should be introduced at the various gates and even at the terminals by both NPA and the terminal operators.
The various stakeholder groups should also embark on education of their members on how not contact the virus.
On the part of NPA, we also think (like others) that making the preventive measures public would help to boost the public confidence.
Discussion about this post