Ebola outbreak: What we are doing to prevent further spread – FG

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its capacity to contain the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), saying surveillance systems, contact tracing and isolation measures have been activated following the detection of an imported case.

The assurance was given on Wednesday by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, Femi Gbajabiamila, after an emergency meeting of the task force at the State House.

Gbajabiamila, who is also the Chief of Staff to the President, said the task force and relevant government agencies had been working to strengthen the country’s preparedness since the body was inaugurated in June 2026.

He attributed the early identification of the index case to existing surveillance mechanisms and established health protocols, noting that Nigeria had recorded approximately 44,000 flights into and out of the country since Ebola became a concern in June.

According to him, the infected passenger initially showed no symptoms, which emerged four days after the woman arrived in Abuja. He said the surveillance and identification procedures in place enabled authorities to detect the infection promptly.

“The passenger with the disease showed no symptoms, which came four days after the woman got into Abuja, and it was the identification process and the protocols that were put in place that enabled the quick identification,” Gbajabiamila said.

He pledged that the government would strengthen existing protocols and ensure stricter enforcement of preventive measures to minimise the risk of further transmission.

Gbajabiamila also called for public cooperation, urging Nigerians to comply with official health directives and avoid actions that could undermine containment efforts.

He stressed the importance of building public trust and preventing panic, describing the response as a joint responsibility between the government and citizens.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, also assured the public that Nigeria’s health authorities and relevant agencies were mobilising resources to contain the outbreak.

Pate said the country’s response involved the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), private healthcare providers, immigration and aviation authorities, the Ministry of Interior and health institutions at the state level.

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

According to the minister, the Federal Government, working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), had activated the incident management system to coordinate the response across different operational areas.

He added that hospitals were also being prepared to manage suspected and confirmed cases, while states were mobilising their existing response capabilities.

“We will continue to do that, and we want to reassure Nigerians that the federal government, alongside its technical partners, the World Health Organisation, the Africa Centre for Disease Control, and our own Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, have activated the incident management system across the various pillars,” Pate said.

The minister urged Nigerians to observe public health directives and refrain from spreading misinformation or unverified claims that could trigger unnecessary fear.

He expressed confidence in the country’s public health professionals, citing Nigeria’s experience in containing Ebola in 2014 and the contributions of its experts to responses in other countries.

Pate said the government would continue working with its domestic and international partners to strengthen surveillance, improve preparedness and contain the current threat.

The emergency meeting brought together representatives of key government institutions and international health organisations involved in Nigeria’s Ebola preparedness and response.

Participants included the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Bunmi Kuku; WHO representative Pavel Ursu; and Dr Aliko Ahmed, Special Regional Representative to the Director-General of Africa CDC.

Other participants included FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, Dr Dolapo Fasawe; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi; and representatives of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the State House Medical Centre.

The government said it would continue to coordinate the national response, strengthen existing safeguards and work with state authorities and international partners to prevent further spread of the disease.

It urged citizens to remain calm, follow verified public health guidance and cooperate with health officials as containment efforts continue.