FG Assures Nigerians of Ebola Containment, Activates Emergency Response

By Majesty Inegbagha 

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its preparedness to contain Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), saying surveillance systems, contact tracing and emergency response mechanisms have been activated to prevent the spread of the disease.

Femi Gbajabiamila 

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance on Wednesday after an emergency meeting of the task force at the State House, Abuja.

In a press release posted by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on his X handle, Gbajabiamila said the task force had been working behind the scenes since its inauguration in June to strengthen the country's preparedness and response capacity.

He attributed the prompt identification of the index case to surveillance measures and established health protocols implemented by the Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and other relevant agencies.

According to him, approximately 44,000 flights had operated into and out of Nigeria since concerns about Ebola emerged in June, underscoring the importance of sustained surveillance and coordinated efforts by relevant authorities.

"It's very important to note this. Since the issue of Ebola came up in June, there have been about 44,000 flights in and out of Nigeria. So, it's because of what the Ministry of Health, the task force and all the agencies have been doing. All hands have been on deck," he said.

He explained that the passenger involved in the imported case did not initially show symptoms, which reportedly developed four days after the woman arrived in Abuja.

Gbajabiamila said the identification process and protocols already in place enabled health authorities to detect the case promptly, demonstrating the country's capacity to respond to the public health threat.

He assured Nigerians that the task force would strengthen existing protocols where necessary and ensure stricter enforcement of public health measures.

"The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck. We must build community trust and avoid panic, but it's also important to state clearly that this is a collaborative effort between the government and the people," he said.

The presidential aide urged Nigerians to cooperate with health authorities and comply with public health directives in the interest of collective safety.

FG Intensifies Contact Tracing

Also speaking, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, said Nigeria had competent health professionals and relevant institutions capable of responding effectively to the outbreak.

He identified the country's surveillance and response network as involving public and private healthcare providers, immigration and aviation authorities, the Ministry of Interior and subnational governments.

Pate disclosed that contact tracing was ongoing, while individuals identified as contacts of the imported index case were being isolated in line with established public health procedures.

"We have been conducting contact tracing diligently and isolating those contacts of the index imported case in this country. We will continue to do that," he said.

The minister added that the Federal Government, working with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the NCDC, had activated incident management systems across the relevant response areas.

According to him, response teams are working round the clock, while hospital capabilities have also been activated to support containment efforts.

He expressed confidence that Nigeria could contain the outbreak if the established measures were sustained, noting that most states had response plans and that available resources were being mobilised.

Pate, however, warned that the government would not relent in its efforts, urging Nigerians to respect public health directives and cooperate with relevant authorities.

Minister Warns Against Misinformation

The health minister also cautioned citizens against spreading unverified information and baseless rumours capable of creating unnecessary panic.

"The key also for the population is to avoid spreading misinformation or baseless rumours, which can cause unnecessary panic. The Task Force leadership has met. WHO and Africa CDC are working closely with the team," he said.

He expressed confidence in Nigeria's public health expertise, recalling the contributions of Nigerian health professionals to the successful containment of Ebola in 2014 and response efforts in other countries.

Pate said the experience and competence of the country's public health professionals, combined with international cooperation and public compliance, would strengthen the current response.

Key Agencies Participate in Emergency Meeting

Those present at the emergency meeting included the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Bunmi Kuku; FAAN General Manager, Adamu Adamu; WHO Representative, Pavel Ursu; and the Special Regional Representative to the Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr. Aliko Ahmed.

Others were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations and Secretary of the Task Force, Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; Public Health Executive, Niniola Williams; Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment in the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at the State House Medical Centre, Dr. Victoria Ogala.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; and Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Donald Spiff, also participated in the meeting virtually.

The meeting formed part of the Federal Government's efforts to coordinate national preparedness and response measures following the reported imported Ebola case.