Residents panic over Ebola Quarantine Ward site in Rivers state

The decision of the Rivers State Government to site an Ebola Quarantine Ward, EQW, at Oduoha –Emohua community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state ignited tension between government and the villagers, last week.

The people feared that siting an Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, centre in the community could lead to the spread of the virus to the area and quickly sealed the proposed site with omu nkwu (tender palm frond).



Investigation by Niger Delta Voice showed that it was a running battle between the community and the Commissioner of Health, Rivers state, Dr. Sampson Parker, before they finally succumbed to government’s plan to site the EQW in the town, but not without conditions.

Niger Delta Voice learned that the government’s intention was to convert the existing Primary Health Care Centre in the community to a quarantine centre, but it ran into a hitch because the villagers were not consulted.

“That was why they exploded and sealed the place with omu nkwu as soon as they got wind of the plan.

Traditionally, if a land or property is taped up with omu nkwu, it means a declaration of dispute and it cannot be untied except an appeasement is made,” a villager told Niger Delta Voice.

He asserted, “The youths and elders of the community vehemently protested the action, particularly as they hand no foreknowledge.”

The Ebola Quarantine Ward was a pro-active move by government of Governor Chibuike Amaechi to checkmate the spread of EVD in the state before the disease claimed its first victim, Dr. Iky Sam Enemua, in Port Harcourt, the state capital, last Thursday.

Anxiety
With the doctor’s wife already quarantined and many others at risk in the state, there is tension in Odohua, as some of the residents were contemplating fleeing the town. Some have also queried government’s rationale in bringing Ebola centre to the town.

Peace overture
Niger Delta Voice, however, gathered that at the heat of the embarrassing situation, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Parker, convened a meeting with the elders, opinion leaders, Community Development Committee, CDC, youths and women of the community to brainstorm on the way out.

Our source said, “In the meeting, Parker humbly spoke to the community of the urgent need of the quarantine centre in preparation for any Ebola case in the state. He used the medium to sensitize the community on how to prevent Ebola.”

“He promised to build another health centre for the community. He also promised to fund a temporary place where primary health activities will be on before the government completes the proposed health centre for the community,” he added.
Niger Delta Voice was informed that it was after the consultations that the community acknowledged his promises and plea that the people accept that the Cottage Health Centre be used for the Rivers State EQW.

Conflicting feelings
However, there are divergent views in the community over the EQW. While some persons wholly accepted the decision, saying it was another form of development, others insisted that the location is dangerous, as it is not in an isolated place.

A member of the community’s Electricity Committee, Mr. Iheanyi Ogwueli, told Niger Delta Voice that the first day government came to locate the centre in our village, without informing the community, the people resisted every of their attempt.

His words, “When we heard this, the paramount ruler summoned the whole community and sent message across to the Honourable Commissioner of Health, who came on Tuesday (August 26),with his entourage and the issue was resolved.”

“Everybody agreed that they should use the health centre. The Commissioner then approved that the state government will build another health centre for the community and we accepted,” he added.
Mr. Ogwueli asserted: “The resolution is a positive one because we want to help the state as we have been doing. We are also happy that the Honourable Commissioner has given us a good answer and a concrete promise to build another health centre for us. When I say concrete, I mean that the promise is documented.

I believe it is another level of government presence in our community.”

Chairman of the committee, Mr. Okechukwu Prince Nnokam, corroborated his claim, saying, “I feel very happy about this project because it will promote the community. I do not think we will have so much challenge because the project is a way we can be saved in case of any infection or outbreak in the area.”

“But the government should try the much they can to expedite action in siting that clinic because since it is a highly infectious disease, nobody knows when it will get to any community,” he added.

My reservations — Okwakpam
However, a concerned villager, Deacon Emmanuel Okwakpam, rejected the siting of the EQW in Oduoha. He asserted: “Personally, I am against the government bringing Ebola Centre into the community because it will affect us economically.”

“Some strangers in our land are already saying that they will pack and others may likely not want to come into the community again because of Ebola and all these will affect us.

“A disease of that nature that other communities have rejected is brought to us, why should it be Oduoha. The place the centre is situated is not even as isolated as one will think because there is a building directly adjacent to that site. If you visit the place, you will see that development is seriously entering around that place,” he said.

According to him, “The only thing that we need now is that government should bring more measures to ensure that we do not get the bad side of this Ebola ward. But for the fact that the state government has come and dialogued with the community extensively, we only demand that they take adequate measures to ensure that our health is protected.”

Peaceful protest: CDC secretary, Honest Chukundah, told Niger Delta Voice, “There was disagreement but the Honourable Commissioner came to the community and resolved it. The government wanted to use our Health Centre for Ebola clinic without any consultation with the community, so the CDC swung in to ask the Commissioner what he was doing at the health centre.”

“He explained to us and asked where they can site another health centre for the community. When he left, the community met and the CDC presented what they heard from the commissioner, so the youths went on a peaceful protest, which I think is normal. They did not destroy anything and no arrest was made in relation to that. It was totally peaceful,” he said.

Community gives three conditions
Chukundah explained: “After that, the commissioner came to the community to officially dialogue with the people and gave much explanation about the disease and its control. So we resolved that firstly, the government must provide protective measures so that one day, one of the Ebola patient will not escape and running into the community.

“Secondly, we do not have pipe-borne water and we do not have good road so that the government will hasten up to provide us with that need. Thirdly, we demanded that government should hasten up in the building of a new health centre for our women for safe delivery. When we made these demands he accepted them all and said the government will meet these needs in the community,” he said.

N300, 000 for appeasement,not bribe– CDC chairman
On the payment of fine, he said, “When we protest, according to our tradition, we go with Omu (raffia) and if it is tied anywhere, it means that such place has been locked up. If that is done, before a person will enter such place for any activity, the person must appease the gods of the land.”
“When we explained to the commissioner, he gave the community N300 000 in that regards. He gave the community the money as an appeasement to remove Omu from the entrance to the health facility. He did not bribe the community to get the health centre. If he wants to bribe the community, is it with N300 000?” He asked.

There should be more sensitization on Ebola
Chukundah further asserted: “We are not praying that that dangerous sickness should come to Rivers state, but even if it does, government should be able to manage it properly in the area. We need more sensitization. That one the commissioner gave to us is not enough. Our people need to receive more education on the Ebola sickness .”

2-month proviso
“Government should come and teach us how to have Ebola free environment. We are calling on the government to come to our aid by sensitizing our people. They should also give us life assurance should there be breakout in the community what they will do. We need more from the government. We have given to the government so we are now waiting for them to fulfill the promises in two months’ time; else we are going to reclaim our health Centre.

“They should please come and pay the rent for the temporary place the community will be using for now. They should put the place in order we can wait for them to complete the new project,” he said.

Why Ebola ward in Oduoha — Ikenga
A community elder, Mr Benson Ikenga, added his voice thus: “Government should make arrangement for the community and ensure that our people do not inherit what they do not deserve. Other good things have been coming to the state and they were not sent to us, I do not know the reason why government decided to bring this bad one to us. This government brought the project of building a modern primary school, till now the project is not half done.

“The Cottage Hospital was brought by them, if the government on their own wishes to use that place as Ebola Quarantine Centre, no problem, but they should ensure we do not all die from this good we have done,” he added.

Tension
The death of Dr. Enemua two days after the state government sealed the EQW deal with the community has sparked fresh tension in the town. A citizen, Mr. ThankGod Wahia, said, the people were living in great fear over the confirmation of Ebola cases in the state, adding that as precautionary measures, the villagers no longer shake hands with and have become wary of strangers.