The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its preparedness to contain the Ebola outbreak, saying surveillance systems and emergency response measures have been activated to prevent further spread of the virus.
The assurance was given by the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Viral Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, Femi Gbajabiamila, after an emergency meeting at the State House on Wednesday.
Gbajabiamila said the task force had been working since its inauguration in June to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness for emerging public health threats, adding that existing surveillance measures and response protocols contributed to the early detection of the index case.
He explained that the infected passenger initially showed no symptoms and developed them four days after arriving in Abuja.
According to him, Nigeria has recorded about 44,000 flights into and out of the country since Ebola concerns emerged in June, underscoring the importance of surveillance and coordination among relevant agencies.
He said the government would strengthen existing protocols and ensure stricter enforcement of public health measures to prevent further transmission.
“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.
Gbajabiamila urged Nigerians to cooperate with health authorities and comply with official directives, stressing that public participation was essential to containing the outbreak.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, said Nigeria had competent health professionals and established surveillance systems to respond to the situation.
Pate disclosed that contact tracing was ongoing, while individuals identified as contacts of the imported case were being isolated in line with public health procedures.
He added that the Federal Government, working with the World Health Organisation, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, had activated its incident management system to coordinate response efforts.
According to the minister, healthcare facilities and emergency response capabilities had also been activated, while state governments were mobilising resources and implementing their preparedness plans.
He expressed confidence in the country's ability to contain the outbreak but warned that authorities would sustain their efforts and continue to enforce public health measures.
Pate also cautioned against the spread of misinformation and unverified reports, saying such information could trigger unnecessary panic.
He recalled Nigeria’s experience in containing Ebola in 2014, noting that the country’s public health professionals had gained valuable expertise in managing the disease.
The emergency meeting was attended by officials from the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the NCDC, the WHO and the Africa CDC, alongside other federal and state health officials.
Other participants included the FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, Dr Dolapo Fasawe; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi; and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at the State House Medical Centre, Dr Victoria Ogala.
The meeting formed part of the Federal Government’s efforts to coordinate national preparedness and strengthen measures to contain the outbreak.
