By NOAH EBIJE, KADUNA
President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abdulwaheed Omar yesterday challenged the Federal Government to double its fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the manner it has tackled the issue of the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD) so far in the country.
Speaking at a one-day sensitisation on prevention of EVD in the workplace, organised by National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Omar commended the Federal Government’s efforts to stop the spread of the virus.
“I think if the Federal Government should fight Boko Haram the way it is fighting Ebola, then the insurgency would have ended since. So, I call on the government to be as proactive to Boko Haram as it has done to Ebola,” he said.
The NLC president urged the government to re-direct more of such energy and resources towards bringing an end to the Boko Haram insurgency.
Earlier, the General Secretary of NUTGTWN, Issa Aremu, who is also the vice president of NLC, said there was need for continuous enlightenment and sensitisation on the Ebola virus, explaining that the workshop was to enlighten members of the labour force about the disease and how to prevent it.
“As deadly as the Ebola virus disease is, we should not forget that there are other diseases like malaria, polio and cholera, which have cure but are still rampant in the country. Thus, as we battle with the deadly Ebola virus disease, we should do more with other diseases with known treatment/prevention. It is all about good healthcare and good governance.
“We commend the recent resolution of the crisis in the health sector that led to the calling off of the strike by doctors under Nigeria Medical Association (NMA). We are also impressed that the Federal Government has withdrawn the earlier sack order of the doctors.
“The truth is that we cannot resolve the numerous health challenges, particularly the threat posed by the Ebola virus disease (EVD) if we continue to have crisis in the health sector. The doctors must be on duty and also look at their strategy for welfare improvement beyond the most predictable and increasingly unhelpful endless work stoppages.
“Government itself must provide health workers with the necessary tools, including insurance covers, to deal with the latest menace of Ebola,” he said.
Delivering a paper entitled: Ebola Virus Disease: What We Need to Know, Dr. Sani Gwarzo, who is a director, Port Health Services, Federal Ministry of Health, urged the leadership of the labour union to put in place a work plan and response team, to checkmate the spread of Ebola, particularly in their immediate environment.
