The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its capacity to contain Ebola following confirmation of an imported case in Abuja. The Presidential Task Force says surveillance, contact tracing and isolation measures are being strengthened in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, WHO and Africa CDC.
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its preparedness to contain Ebola, following confirmation of an imported case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as health authorities intensify surveillance, contact tracing and other emergency response measures.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance on Wednesday after an emergency meeting of the task force at the State House in Abuja.
Gbajabiamila, who is also Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said the task force had been working behind the scenes since its inauguration in June to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness and improve its capacity to detect and respond to potential cases.
He attributed the identification of the imported case to surveillance systems and established public health protocols implemented by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, 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 the Ebola preparedness efforts began, underscoring the importance of maintaining effective screening and disease surveillance systems.
He said the patient initially showed no symptoms, which developed four days after her arrival in Abuja, while the identification process and response protocols helped health authorities detect the infection.
Gbajabiamila said the task force would strengthen existing measures and ensure stricter enforcement of public health protocols where necessary.
“The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck,” he said, urging Nigerians to cooperate with public health authorities and avoid panic.
He stressed that effective containment would require collaboration between the government and the public.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said Nigeria had competent public health institutions and relevant agencies prepared to respond to the threat.
He identified the health authorities, private healthcare providers, immigration services, aviation agencies, security institutions and subnational governments as key participants in the national response.
Pate said health officials had commenced contact tracing and were isolating and monitoring people who might have been exposed to the imported case.
He added that the Federal Government was working with the WHO, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the NCDC to coordinate the response through an activated incident management system.
According to the minister, response activities include case investigation, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and the activation of hospital capabilities to manage suspected and confirmed cases.
He said the government would continue to mobilise available resources and strengthen preparedness across states to prevent further transmission.
The minister also urged Nigerians to comply with public health directives, warning against misinformation and baseless rumours that could create unnecessary fear.
The Federal Government’s response is being supported by international health partners, including the WHO and Africa CDC, as authorities work to contain the imported infection.
In its October 20 update, the WHO confirmed that Nigeria had recorded an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in the FCT.
The patient, a woman with a recent travel history involving Uganda, developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical care at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11. Laboratory testing confirmed the infection on October 20.
The WHO reported that 44 contacts had been identified for monitoring, while infection prevention and control measures were being strengthened at the healthcare facility where the patient received treatment.
The patient was placed in isolation and was receiving medical care, according to the WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The agency emphasised that early identification, prompt follow-up of contacts and effective infection prevention measures are critical to containing the spread of the virus.
Gbajabiamila and Pate called on Nigerians to support the response by following official health advice, cooperating with contact-tracing teams and avoiding the spread of unverified information.
The task force also emphasised the importance of community trust in ensuring that people report relevant symptoms or possible exposure and cooperate with public health officials.
Pate expressed confidence in the experience of Nigeria’s public health professionals, including those who contributed to the country’s response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak.
He said the government would continue working with local and international partners to strengthen containment efforts and protect healthcare workers and communities.
The emergency meeting was attended by representatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the WHO, Africa CDC, the Federal Capital Territory health authorities and other relevant institutions.
Other participants included Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole and Lagos State Commissioner for Health Professor Akin Abayomi, who joined the meeting virtually.
The Federal Government said the response would remain focused on surveillance, rapid identification, contact tracing and public cooperation as authorities work to prevent further transmission.
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