Nigerians, comprising health professionals and other care givers, are jostling for slots in the current campaign by the African Union to defeat Ebola virus disease, EVD, in the West African region and the rest of the world.
Worried by geometric rise of infections and deaths by the killer virus in three West African countries namely Guinea, Liberia and Sierra-Leone, the AU wrote the governments of its 54-member nations on October 13 this year to provide it with at least 20 health personnel to help tackle the seemingly intractable challenges posed by the virus.
Volunteers would be adequately remunerated in dollars, with full health insurance and other benefits that will motivate them and compensate for their compassion for their fellow human beings, according to the initiator of AU response to Ebola in the sub-region and Director, Department of Social Affairs for the AU, Amb Olawale Maiyegun.
The Federal Government responded to AU’s call by setting in motion modalities for engaging volunteers for the tasks in the Ebola-ravaged countries.
Few days thereafter, over 500 volunteers in Nigeria had registered for the aid, according to former Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu. National Mirror reliably gathered that several volunteers were jostling to be on the list of the first batch, but the Nigerian government and AU settled for 250.
It is believed the figures had doubled in the middle of last month.
Maiyegun spoke with National Mirror at a 2-day pre-departure training of the AU Commission for Nigerian contigent to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra-Leone under the auspices of the AU Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa, ASEOWA, on Monday.
Asked whether the volunteers could choose to work in those countries after they successfully defeat the disease, the AU chief said “that will be between them and governments of those countries.”
...culled from nationalmirror
Remember, at 360talkatives you should always leave a comment...
0 comments :
Post a Comment
The 'Name/Url' option is advisable. You can fill in just 'Name' and ignore the 'url box'.