FG Warns Male Ebola Survivors To Abstain From Sex

The Federal Ministry of Health has advised men who were treated and discharged of the Ebola virus to abstain from sexual intercourse for at least seven weeks.

The advice was given on Wednesday by Dr. Bridget Okoeguale, the Director of the Department of Public Health, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

Dr. Okoeguale who said this was in line with the protocols issued by the World Health Organisation also said “there are many literatures that say that after men are infected, when the virus is not found in the blood, it tends to stay in the semen for about seven weeks to three months. What we did according to the WHO protocol is that we made sure that when the men are discharged they are given enough condoms, if they cannot abstain for that period. We advice them to abstain from sex but where they cannot abstain, they are provided condoms and after the (abstinence) period, we double test to make sure they are free.”

Okoeguale said no drugs or vaccinations were given to the patients as she added that health authorities complied with WHO treatment protocol. “Our own is to help build their immunity, give them fluid to replace lost fluid through vomiting and diarrhoea”, she said.

While explaining that the patients were also placed on electrolyte by intravenous fluid to avoid dehydration and the anaemic ones had had blood transfusion, she pointed out that “that is the supportive care that has helped us to be able to discharge more than five people.”



Be prepared!!! @folabright