NGO Cautions Hospitals against Rejecting Patients with Ebola-Like Symptoms

The Civil Society Awareness Response on Epidemic Diseases, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has cautioned health workers in hospitals across Africa against rejecting patients with symptoms similar to Ebola.

The NGO warned that the nation should strive to avoid a repeat of challenges regarding improper handling of HIV/AIDS disease when it was initially recorded in the country, describing such development as capable of fueling mismanagement of the Ebola epidemic.

According to a report from the Nigerian Tribune, Stephen Aremu, coordinator of the organization, addressed a press conference in Osogbo on Monday, Aug. 25 and “decried the poor level of engagement of civil societies and communities in the approach to tackle EVD (Ebola virus disease), stressing that government-led response to the scourge focused more on its effects on the health sector.”

Due to poor understanding of the disease and how it can be managed, Aremu stated that “a patient living with HIV, but manifesting symptoms relating to Ebola was rejected in several hospitals he went to for medical help in Lagos. It is frightening that medical personnel could do such a thing.”

“We have also had reports from other states in the country of rejection of patients by health care givers over the fear that they may be Ebola patients. So far, reports from all these rejected patients indicated that they are not carrying the disease, but were denied attention by those that should take care of them,” Aremu added.

Aremu went on to advocate the active involvement of civil society groups by all tiers of government in monitoring the Ebola disease. He expressed optimism that this approach would aid in controlling the spread and the debilitating effect of the disease.