L
LequteMan
Guest
Trinidad and Tobago has blocked Nigerians from entering the country because of the threat of the Ebola virus, causing confusion and mixed thoughts for many Nigerians living in the country.
As well as Nigeria, other countries banned included Sierra Leone, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia, TrinidadExpress reports.
In addition, people who visited the named African countries within the past six weeks will also not be allowed entry; citizens who visited these countries will be quarantined for 21 days upon arrival in Trinidad and Tobago.
Reacting to this development, Dr Ogonno Okeke, a Nigerian-born medical doctor and specialist medical officer in the field of internal medicine who resides in Tobago, says he has mixed thoughts about the incident.
"First of all, I believe every country has a national security duty to its citizens to keep them safe. In this general regard, I understand the T&T Government has responsibility to take any action it deems is right to protect everyone residing in Trinidad and Tobago. I can understand an initial travel ban as part of multi-pronged approaches to prevent Ebola from arriving on these shores while the relevant agencies ramp up their screening and quarantine facilities. What I am confused about is why Nigeria was included in the travel ban. Ebola is not endemic to Nigeria,” states Dr Okeke.
“Since early September there has not been a reported case of Ebola so why impose a travel ban on a country where there is no Ebola? Most other countries in the Caribbean that placed a ban on travellers coming from three West African countries where Ebola is endemic and multiplying e.g. Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone; they did not include Nigeria on the list of countries banned,” he argues.
#Ebola #Nigeria #Trinidad #Tobago #TrinidadExpress
As well as Nigeria, other countries banned included Sierra Leone, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia, TrinidadExpress reports.
In addition, people who visited the named African countries within the past six weeks will also not be allowed entry; citizens who visited these countries will be quarantined for 21 days upon arrival in Trinidad and Tobago.
Reacting to this development, Dr Ogonno Okeke, a Nigerian-born medical doctor and specialist medical officer in the field of internal medicine who resides in Tobago, says he has mixed thoughts about the incident.
"First of all, I believe every country has a national security duty to its citizens to keep them safe. In this general regard, I understand the T&T Government has responsibility to take any action it deems is right to protect everyone residing in Trinidad and Tobago. I can understand an initial travel ban as part of multi-pronged approaches to prevent Ebola from arriving on these shores while the relevant agencies ramp up their screening and quarantine facilities. What I am confused about is why Nigeria was included in the travel ban. Ebola is not endemic to Nigeria,” states Dr Okeke.
“Since early September there has not been a reported case of Ebola so why impose a travel ban on a country where there is no Ebola? Most other countries in the Caribbean that placed a ban on travellers coming from three West African countries where Ebola is endemic and multiplying e.g. Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone; they did not include Nigeria on the list of countries banned,” he argues.
#Ebola #Nigeria #Trinidad #Tobago #TrinidadExpress