The Senate has urged the Federal Government to release emergency funds from the Service Wide Vote to strengthen disease surveillance and introduce compulsory health screening for all international travellers entering Nigeria.
The lawmakers also called for mandatory screening of passengers at international airports, seaports and designated land borders as part of measures to prevent the importation of Ebola and other infectious diseases.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Francis Faduyile during plenary on Wednesday.
Faduyile expressed concern over the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola and the potential threat it poses to Nigeria’s public health system.
He said the outbreak, which originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, had spread to other African countries, including Uganda and Kenya, heightening concerns that infected travellers could enter Nigeria through transit countries.
The senator also cited an assessment by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention indicating a high risk of Ebola being imported into the country.
Faduyile recalled Nigeria’s experience during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when an infected Liberian traveller, Patrick Sawyer, arrived in Lagos and triggered an outbreak that claimed lives and exposed gaps in the country’s preparedness.
He argued that the experience underscored the need for stronger surveillance and preventive measures at Nigeria’s points of entry.
Although the Senate acknowledged ongoing measures by the government, including health declaration forms and enhanced surveillance at entry points, it expressed concern that current screening protocols were largely focused on travellers arriving from selected countries.
The lawmakers also raised concerns over shortages of personnel and essential screening equipment at some points of entry.
The Senate further noted that Port Health Services continues to operate under the Quarantine Act of 1926, describing the situation as inadequate for addressing emerging infectious disease threats.
It warned that Nigeria’s existing public health challenges, including Lassa fever, cholera and diphtheria, made it imperative for the country to strengthen its preparedness and response capacity.
Consequently, the Senate directed the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC and Port Health Services to ensure that every international passenger entering Nigeria undergoes mandatory health screening, irrespective of nationality or country of departure.
The proposed measures include the completion of health declaration forms, temperature checks and assessment for symptoms associated with infectious diseases.
The Senate also recommended enhanced screening and monitoring of travellers who had visited or transited through areas affected by Ebola or other infectious disease outbreaks within the preceding 21 days.
The lawmakers called for the immediate strengthening of surveillance systems, adequate deployment of trained personnel and provision of modern screening equipment at all designated points of entry.
