The federal government has asked Nigerians to remain calm and not to be apprehensive over reports of an ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Apart from assuring the public that there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria, the government reaffirmed that all necessary precautionary measures have been activated to strengthen national preparedness and response systems.
A statement signed by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako quoted the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, of having said that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Port Health Services, and other relevant agencies, is closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and regional health authorities.
According to the minister, Nigeria remains vigilant and has activated enhanced preparedness measures to safeguard public health and strengthen the country’s capacity for early detection and rapid response.
“While Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease, the federal government is taking all necessary proactive measures to strengthen national preparedness, surveillance, and coordination mechanisms to protect the health and wellbeing of all Nigerians,” the minister stated.
He said that ongoing response and preparedness measures include: enhanced surveillance and monitoring nationwide; strengthened screening and health declaration protocols at points of entry in collaboration with Port Health Services and increased coordination with state ministries of health and relevant stakeholders.
Other aspects of the preparedness include; strengthening of laboratory preparedness and diagnostic capacity;; reinforcement of infection prevention and control measures across health facilities.
In addition, Pate said that the ministry is intensifying public awareness, risk communication, and community engagement activities.
The minister urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid spreading misinformation, and continue observing preventive measures, including regular hand hygiene and avoiding contact with bodily fluids of persons showing symptoms of illness.
He further advised the public to promptly report any unusual illness to the nearest health facility.
Similarly, the Minister advised Healthcare workers across the country to maintain a high index of suspicion, adhere strictly to infection prevention and control protocols, promptly isolate suspected cases, and report through established public health channels.
Meanwhile, the WHO said it has approved an additional $3.4 million to help strengthen response efforts against the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, where fatalities have risen to 139.
WHO said that the fresh funding, drawn from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies, increases the agency’s total allocation for the outbreak response to $3.9 million.
The organisation also said that emergency teams, medical supplies and technical personnel have already been deployed to affected areas to support surveillance
Speaking at a media briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the organisation classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to concerns over the possibility of wider regional spread.
He explained that the health emergency declaration followed consultations with authorities in both countries and was made under the International Health Regulations to facilitate urgent global mobilisation and coordination.
According to data from WHO, 51 Ebola infections have been officially confirmed in the DRC, mainly in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, including Bunia and Goma, while Uganda has recorded two confirmed infections in Kampala, one of which resulted in death.
The organisation further disclosed that a United States citizen infected while working in the DRC had been evacuated to Germany for treatment. Tedros warned that the actual scale of the outbreak could be much higher, with close to 600 suspected cases already identified alongside 139 suspected deaths.
He said that the virus had now spread into multiple urban locations, while infections among healthcare workers suggested ongoing transmission within medical facilities.
He said that the worsening insecurity, population displacement and movement linked to mining activities in eastern DRC has increased the likelihood of cross-border transmission.
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
