Idowu Abdullahi
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its preparedness to respond to any potential Ebola outbreak, stating that Emergency Operations Centres across states have been placed on standby.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Lagos amid renewed concerns over the disease in parts of Africa.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that since the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola was confirmed by the World Health Organisation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, more than 1,100 suspected cases and over 246 suspected deaths have been recorded from the virus.
The WHO warned that the outbreak was spreading in densely populated and conflict-affected areas, making surveillance, contact tracing, and treatment more difficult.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has activated an Ebola emergency watch in Lagos, FCT, and eight other states.
The NCDC, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and other agencies have intensified surveillance and monitoring of passengers at airports, particularly those from high-risk regions, to prevent the influx of the disease into the country.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, on Monday, revealed that Nigeria’s preparedness for a potential Ebola outbreak currently stands at 59 per cent, as health authorities intensify surveillance and response measures amid growing concerns over the disease’s regional and international spread.
“Our latest level of assessment puts us at about 59 per cent. But that’s quite variable. You can’t be 100 per cent prepared, but the essence is that we keep preparing because things change,” he said.
But speaking at the sidelines of the World Health Expo Lagos 2026 on Tuesday, Salako explained that coordination mechanisms involving federal and state health agencies are being activated to ensure prompt containment should the virus be detected in the country.
“Each state now has an Emergency Operations Centre that is on standby and ready to respond. We are pre-positioning personal protective equipment for health workers. Alerts have been issued, and healthcare workers now maintain a much higher index of suspicion,” he said.
The minister also said surveillance systems have been strengthened at points of entry to enable early detection and rapid response to suspected cases.
“There is improved surveillance at our ports and points of entry. So, I want to assure Nigerians that the government is doing everything possible, in collaboration with sub-national governments, to ensure that Ebola does not enter Nigeria.
“Once again, I want to assure Nigerians that everything that needs to be done is being done. Our ports of entry are being closely monitored. We are working in collaboration with agencies responsible for airports, seaports, and land borders. Port health services have been strengthened,” he said.
Salako explained that cases of fever are now being approached with caution across entry points and hospitals.
“Cases of fever are now being approached with greater caution than before. Surveillance has generally been intensified, and we are working collaboratively across systems and across levels of government.
“There is now a higher index of suspicion among healthcare workers. When someone presents with a fever, one of the first questions is whether the individual has recently travelled or been exposed to someone who has travelled from an affected area.
“These are some of the measures we have put in place to ensure that any potential case is detected as early as possible. Therefore, I believe Nigeria is well-positioned to prevent the importation of Ebola into the country. I want Nigerians to rest assured that everything possible is being done,” the minister said.
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