The Federal Government has said there is currently no public health justification for cancelling political campaigns, conferences and other large gatherings following the confirmation of an imported Ebola virus disease case in Nigeria.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said on Thursday in Abuja that the government would reconsider its position if the situation deteriorated, stressing that any restrictions would be guided by scientific evidence and expert advice.
At a press briefing on the national response, Pate disclosed that the infected patient was receiving medical care and showing encouraging signs of recovery based on laboratory results.
“Thankfully, that individual has been taken care of and, in fact, is recovering. Today, I spoke to the clinicians, and I understand that laboratory results are showing great improvement, and there is a possibility that she would recover from this,” he said.
The minister cautioned, however, that the improving condition of the patient did not remove the need for sustained vigilance and coordinated efforts to prevent further transmission.
“We have to continue to pray and work hard to ensure that she survives it,” Pate said.
He explained that the patient had not displayed symptoms when she arrived in Nigeria but became symptomatic several days later. The confirmation of the infection triggered contact-tracing efforts to identify people who might have been exposed.
According to him, health authorities had assessed contacts linked to the patient’s hospital attendance, domestic interactions and visit to a private clinic, classifying them according to their level of exposure.
“The high-risk contacts have been quarantined fully in a facility. The others have been isolated, and we are ensuring that the isolation is enforced, consistent with public health expert guidelines,” he stated.
Pate said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had activated its incident management system and was coordinating the national response with the Federal Capital Territory authorities.
He added that the Federal Government had briefed the Presidential Task Force, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Economic Council, while state governments had also been notified.
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The President, he said, had released additional resources to the NCDC, with further domestic funding being mobilised to support containment and preparedness. The government was also working with the World Health Organisation, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and other technical partners.
The minister disclosed that arrangements were under way for additional genomic sequencing to establish a clearer understanding of the virus strain detected in the country.
He said Prof. Christian Happi, a genomics specialist based at Redeemer’s University in Ede, had been invited to support the NCDC’s laboratory and surveillance operations.
Pate maintained that Nigeria had the capacity to identify and respond to the infection, pointing to the speed with which the case was diagnosed and reported internationally.
“We are assuring Nigerians that the public health capacity is there. We are able to diagnose this from when the public health authorities were informed, within 24 hours, and we notified the WHO,” he said.
He urged the public to observe recommended precautions, including frequent handwashing and avoiding unnecessary contact with other people’s body fluids.
Explaining the mode of transmission, Pate said Ebola was not an airborne disease but spread through contact with infected body fluids. He advised anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, headaches and muscle aches, particularly those with relevant travel histories, to isolate themselves and promptly contact public health authorities.
“We are assuring Nigerians that we can be able to deal with it. But to do that, we need the cooperation of Nigerians to follow expert advice,” he said.
The minister also appealed to identified contacts to comply with quarantine and isolation instructions, warning that failure to observe the measures could put other people at risk.
Hospitals, including federal health facilities, had been directed to prepare isolation beds and strengthen infection prevention and control procedures, particularly for frontline health workers. Private hospitals and practitioners were also urged to report suspected cases promptly.
Pate noted that private healthcare providers could play an important role in identifying infections early and supporting the management of disease outbreaks.
Addressing concerns over whether political activities and other large events should be suspended, Pate said the government was not prepared to impose restrictions without evidence that they were necessary to protect public health.
“At this moment, there is no indication that requires us to alter the course of large gatherings that have been planned,” he said.
“But if the situation changes, we’ll make a determination; we’ll consult broadly with the right experts and make that determination.”
He also warned against politicising the outbreak, describing public health as an issue that cuts across political, religious and ethnic divisions.
“If there is one issue that will unite Nigerians, it is health, because health has no political party, has no citizenship, has no nationality, has no tribe, no religion. It is a great unifier,” he said.
Pate called on the media to report verified information from health authorities and avoid spreading unconfirmed claims that could undermine public confidence in the response.
Responding to doubts expressed by some Nigerians about the existence of the outbreak, he said repeated laboratory testing had confirmed the infection.
“The truth is, we do have a case. It has been tested three times, and those three times’ tests came back positive,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to rely on qualified health professionals and official communications, warning that misinformation could weaken compliance with preventive measures.
“The alternative to trusting the experts is tragedy. It’s really tragedy,” the minister said.
He referred to Nigeria’s past difficulties with resistance to polio vaccination as an example of how misinformation could obstruct public health programmes and expose communities to preventable risks.
The government was also strengthening screening and surveillance at the country’s points of entry, including checks on the functionality of thermal imaging equipment and compliance with international health regulations for assessing travellers’ risks.
Pate said the Federal Government would continue to provide updates as investigations progressed, while the NCDC would maintain daily briefings and the health ministry would monitor developments.
“We don’t want it to go beyond it, and there is no need to panic, but we have to be vigilant,” he said.
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