Federal Government activates emergency response system, intensifies contact tracing as health authorities race to stop spread of virus
The Federal Government has moved to reassure Nigerians of its readiness to contain the Ebola outbreak, declaring that the country’s public health machinery is fully mobilised to prevent further spread of the deadly virus.
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, and Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance after an emergency meeting of the task force at the State House on Wednesday.
Gbajabiamila said the government had been strengthening surveillance and preparedness measures since the task force was inaugurated in June, adding that the systems in place helped authorities detect the reported index case.
According to him, Nigeria had recorded about 44,000 flights into and out of the country since Ebola concerns emerged in June, underscoring the scale of the surveillance challenge facing health authorities.
He explained that the infected passenger initially showed no symptoms, with signs of the disease emerging four days after the woman arrived in Abuja. However, identification procedures and established health protocols enabled authorities to detect the case.
“The identification process and the protocols that were put in place enabled the quick identification. That also speaks to the country's capacity and ability to deal with this disease as best as we can,” he said.
The task force chairman pledged to strengthen existing safeguards, tighten enforcement and address any gaps in the country's response system.
“ The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck,” Gbajabiamila declared, urging Nigerians to remain calm, cooperate with health authorities and resist the temptation to spread panic.
He stressed that containing the outbreak would require a joint effort between government institutions and the public, appealing to citizens to comply with official public health directives.
CONTACT TRACING, ISOLATION INTENSIFIED
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, said Nigeria had activated its emergency response structures, drawing on the expertise of public health authorities, hospitals, immigration officials, aviation agencies and state-level health teams.
Pate disclosed that contact tracing was underway, with individuals identified as contacts of the imported case being isolated in line with public health procedures.
He said the Federal Government was working closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to coordinate the response.
According to him, the incident management system had been activated across multiple response areas, while hospitals and other critical health facilities were being prepared to support containment efforts.
“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,” he said.
Pate added that most states had response plans in place and that the government was mobilising available resources to contain the outbreak.
He, however, warned that the response would require sustained vigilance, strict compliance with public health guidance and cooperation from communities across the country.
FG WARNS AGAINST FAKE NEWS
As health authorities intensify efforts to track potential exposure and prevent further transmission, Pate cautioned Nigerians against spreading unverified reports and baseless rumours capable of triggering unnecessary fear.
He expressed confidence in the experience of Nigeria's public health professionals, recalling the country's response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the contributions Nigerian experts made to containment efforts elsewhere.
“With our exceptional public health physicians who had successfully tamed this virus in 2014, and had contributed to other countries, we are confident that if we continue in this direction, we will emerge out of this crisis in a much stronger place,” he said.
The minister urged Nigerians to rely on official health advisories and cooperate with surveillance and response teams as the country works to contain the threat.
The emergency meeting brought together key officials from the health, immigration, aviation and public administration sectors, alongside international health partners.
Those in attendance included Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Bunmi Kuku; FAAN General Manager, Adamu Adamu; WHO representative, PavelTOP OFFICIALS JOIN EMERGENCY MEETING Ursu; and Africa CDC Special Regional Representative to the Director-General, Dr. Aliko Ahmed.
Also present were Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations and task force secretary, Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; public health executive, Niniola Williams; FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; and Chairman of the State House Medical Centre's Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Victoria Ogala.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; and Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Donald Spiff, participated in the meeting virtually.
With surveillance, contact tracing and emergency response measures activated, the Federal Government says its immediate priority is to contain the outbreak, prevent further transmission and keep Nigerians informed as the situation develops.
Ebola Alert: FG Vows To Contian Outbreak, Warns Against Panic
