PORT HARCOURT – The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Thursday urged journalists to prevent the stigmatisation of Ebola disease patients by not making public their names.
Dr Faisal Shuaib, the Incident Manager of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) of the NCDC, made the appeal at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
He described the media as a key stakeholder in the life-saving efforts to contain and prevent the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the state. [eap_ad_2] “As such, it is crucial that information should be checked not only for facts but also to ensure it does not contribute to the stigmatisation of people who need our support.
“Since the outbreak of Ebola disease in Rivers, some of the reports have been of high standard, but unfortunately, we have seen some insensitive and sometimes, unprofessional reporting,’’ Shuaib said.
The incident manager noted that the outbreak had been met with formidable response both from the Federal and Rivers Governments and supported by World Health Organisation and other international partners.
Shuaib recalled with delight how Nigeria made the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in Africa to be declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by World Health Organisation (WHO).
He commended the media for its efforts in the fight against the deadly disease, urging the practitioners to continue with the war in line with their professional ethics. (NAN)[eap_ad_3]
