Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said it has intensified preparedness measures against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), despite there being no confirmed case in Nigeria.
The Director-General of NCDC, Dr. Olajide Idris, disclosed this at the weekend during the 15th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) Meeting in Abuja.
Idris said the agency had activated surveillance systems, strengthened coordination with relevant agencies, and assessed treatment and laboratory infrastructure to enhance national preparedness.
He said that although the Presidential Ebola Task Force was reconstituted only recently, response activities had commenced before its inaugural meeting.
“The task force has only met once, but we did not wait for its reconstitution because we started working immediately after the outbreak was reported,” he said.
Idris said NCDC was collaborating with Port Health Services, aviation authorities, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigeria Customs Service to strengthen surveillance at points of entry.
According to him, the initial focus is on five states with international airports to improve the screening of inbound travellers.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had issued entry protocols requiring travellers arriving in Nigeria to complete health declaration forms before arrival.
The NCDC boss said travellers identified as persons of interest were being documented and monitored, and their destination states were notified for appropriate follow-up.
He acknowledged implementation challenges but expressed confidence that the system would continue improving.
Idris said NCDC had assessed molecular laboratories and isolation centres established during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine their readiness for Ebola response.
He said that express executive approval of N785.3 million has been granted for Ebola readiness activities, and that the State Ebola Readiness Plan has been finalized, with disbursements to states at an advanced stage.
He, however, expressed concern about the poor condition of several facilities, attributing this to inadequate maintenance after their establishment.
“We found that most of the facilities are in a horrible, dilapidated state. Some have been abandoned and require urgent rehabilitation,” he said.
Idris said some molecular laboratories had also experienced operational challenges, including unreliable electricity supply, leading to wastage of reagents and consumables.
