The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says it has approved a weekly allowance of N100,000 per person for people quarantined following possible exposure to Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Jide Idris, director-general of the NCDC, announced the allowance at a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday, saying some contacts had complained that quarantine was preventing them from running their businesses and meeting their family obligations.
He said the agency had been paying for accommodation and meals for those staying in designated facilities but decided to provide additional financial assistance after some requested money to support their families.
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“We are providing N100,000 per person per week just to maintain their comfort and feeding, because they were complaining,” Idris said.
The NCDC chief described the payment as an emergency intervention that was not part of the agency’s original spending plan, adding that it would be reviewed as the response progressed.
“But again, it’s an emergency. We continue to review it as we go along,” he said.
Idris said state governments were expected to provide the funding, facilities and materials required to manage people identified as contacts during public health emergencies.
“These are the responsibilities of the various state governments. So each state again must provide money, must provide the materials for it to do this”, he said.
The NCDC has also identified 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed Ebola case in the FCT. Of the 53 people, 44 were identified at the health facility where the patient received treatment, while nine others were linked to the case through separate interactions.
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The additional contacts comprise the patient’s husband, driver and chef; three healthcare workers who treated her at another clinic; and three members of the team that collected samples.
Idris said health authorities had documented the contacts and grouped them according to their exposure levels to guide monitoring and follow-up.
