FG steps up Ebola preparedness, tightens border surveillance amid regional outbreak concerns
The federal government has intensified national preparedness and response measures following renewed concerns over the possible spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which has been reported in parts of East and Central Africa.
The federal government has intensified national preparedness and response measures following renewed concerns over the possible spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which has been reported in parts of East and Central Africa.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said the measures are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health security system and preventing cross-border transmission of infectious diseases.
Mr Bako stressed that there was no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria.
“However, in line with the federal government’s commitment to strengthening national health security and preventing cross-border disease transmission, heightened preparedness measures have been activated nationwide,” he said.
“As part of ongoing response readiness efforts, official preparedness protocols, advisories, and technical guidance documents have been uploaded to the Ministry’s website to support public awareness, stakeholder sensitisation, and institutional compliance.”
According to him, strict border control and Point of Entry protocols are already operational across the country to strengthen surveillance and early detection of suspected cases.
He said the measures included universal temperature screening using infrared thermal scanners and handheld thermometers, mandatory health declaration forms and travel history assessments for arriving passengers.
Mr Bako added that enhanced traveller risk assessments, secondary screening, isolation and referral mechanisms for symptomatic individuals, as well as strengthened coordination with border management agencies, had also been activated.
He said surveillance activities had equally been intensified through the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system, alongside strengthened community-based and event-based monitoring mechanisms nationwide.
He said public health authorities were actively monitoring, verifying and investigating alerts and rumours while conducting continuous national risk assessments and epidemiological surveillance.
Mr Bako further said laboratory readiness, specimen collection and transportation systems for viral haemorrhagic diseases had been strengthened to ensure prompt diagnosis and response when necessary.
He noted that Public Health Emergency Operation Centres had been placed on alert, while Rapid Response Teams at national and sub-national levels remained deployment-ready for any eventuality.
According to him, infection prevention and control measures have also been reinforced in health facilities, with ongoing preparedness training and sensitisation programmes for healthcare workers and frontline personnel.
He said healthcare facilities nationwide had been advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for viral haemorrhagic fevers, strengthen triage systems and promptly isolate suspected cases.
Mr Bako said health institutions were also directed to adhere strictly to established reporting protocols to facilitate rapid response and containment should any suspected case emerge.
He urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid misinformation and unverified rumours, and rely solely on official information issued by recognised public health authorities.
He advised members of the public to maintain regular hand hygiene, avoid direct contact with bodily fluids of symptomatic persons and promptly report unusual illnesses or deaths.
He also cautioned against contact with dead animals or bushmeat from unknown sources, describing such exposures as potential public health risks requiring vigilance.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigeria has previously recorded and successfully contained Ebola outbreaks through rapid surveillance, contact tracing and coordinated emergency responses, earning global recognition for its disease containment efforts. (NAN)
