At a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister for Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, has said his country could not meet Nigeria’s request for experimental Ebola virus disease (EVD) drug, ZMapp, because the drug was not produced in sufficient quantity.
The Minister and envoy met in Abuja on Monday.
He, however, commended the Nigerian Government over its prompt response to the outbreak of EVD in the country and the work done at the Lagos Emergency Operation Centre as well as the Isolation Centre. He said his visit to the Health Ministry was to further discuss the EVD control cooperation between the U.S and Nigeria.
His words: “Your government is doing a good job on contact tracing, I noticed when I flew back into the country on Thursday night. Before I left the plane, I filled in a questionnaire.
“I was very impressed because I had to put in my seat number, which is a very good idea; so that if you have to trace the guy who was seating next to me, you will know where I am. I am very impressed by this approach, so, I encourage the government of Nigeria to keep up at it and I know they will.”
In his response, Chukwu said the ambassador’s visit was an opportunity to share ideas and information on the disease.
“He is the spokesperson for the United States government here in Nigeria; so, he came to me as the chief public health officer of the country to exchange views with me,’’ the minister said.