The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has intensified nationwide preparedness measures following concerns that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of East Africa could pose a significant threat to Nigeria.
The agency warned that the risk of importing the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into the country remains high due to increased international travel, cross-border movement, and the porous nature of many entry routes into Nigeria.
Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this during a media briefing in Lagos while providing an update on the country’s readiness to respond to any potential Ebola case linked to the outbreaks currently affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda.
According to him, the assessment followed a comprehensive and dynamic risk evaluation carried out by the agency in response to the evolving public health situation within the region.
Dr. Idris explained that although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case of Ebola, health authorities are not taking chances and have already activated a range of preventive measures designed to strengthen the country’s response capacity.
He noted that one of the major challenges associated with Ebola surveillance is the similarity between its symptoms and those of other endemic diseases commonly found in Nigeria, including malaria and Lassa fever.
The NCDC boss said this overlap could potentially delay the identification of infected persons if healthcare workers fail to maintain a high level of vigilance.
To address this concern, he said the agency has stepped up surveillance activities across the country and strengthened monitoring systems at airports, seaports, and land borders.
He disclosed that several emergency response mechanisms have already been activated, including enhanced disease surveillance, laboratory preparedness, risk communication strategies, case management arrangements, and coordination with stakeholders across the health sector.
Dr. Idris also called on state governments to activate their emergency preparedness plans and ensure that public health response structures remain fully functional.
He urged healthcare workers and frontline responders nationwide to maintain a high index of suspicion whenever they encounter patients presenting symptoms that may be consistent with Ebola infection.
“Since confirmation of the outbreak in the region, NCDC has intensified the preparedness activities nationwide to ensure that Nigeria remains ready to rapidly detect, investigate, contain, and respond to any potential outbreak of disease,” he said.
The NCDC Director-General further revealed that one of the major actions already completed by the agency is a national dynamic risk assessment and vulnerability analysis aimed at identifying possible areas of exposure and strengthening response strategies.
“Some of the things we’ve done so far are the completion of a national dynamic risk assessment and vulnerability analysis,” he added.
He stressed that early detection, prompt reporting, and rapid response remain the most effective tools for preventing the spread of Ebola and minimizing the impact of any potential outbreak.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with state governments, healthcare institutions, development partners, and international health organizations to bolster Nigeria’s preparedness against emerging infectious diseases.
Ebola remains one of Africa’s deadliest viral diseases. Transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, the disease has claimed more than 15,000 lives across the continent over the past five decades.
The latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, described as the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak, has continued to raise concern among global health authorities.
According to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak has so far resulted in 344 confirmed cases and 60 deaths across three provinces in the DRC. The UN health agency has also recorded 116 suspected cases linked to the outbreak.
In neighbouring Uganda, health authorities have confirmed 15 cases, including one death. Among those infected was a Congolese national who reportedly entered Uganda after travelling through the United Arab Emirates.
With the outbreak continuing to spread within parts of East Africa, Nigerian health officials say preparedness, vigilance, and collaboration among all levels of government remain essential to keeping the country free from the disease.
