Ebola: States, NCDC, FAAN step up surveillance

•Senate seeks emergency funds to stem spread •Asks FG to begin mandatory screening of all international travellers to Nigeria •Atiku calls for transparency on N10bn emergency fund, contract tracing •Avoid handshakes, hugs for now, medical academy warns •FAAN places airports on heightened alert

The Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti and Niger states have intensified surveillance against the threat of Ebola infestation following the confirmation of an Ebola virus disease case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Commissioner for Health in Oyo State, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, said on Wednesday that the state had begun taking proactive steps since June, bringing together relevant ministries, health institutions, epidemiologists, and other stakeholders to coordinate response to infectious disease threats.

Ajetunmobi urged residents not to panic, adding that disease surveillance notification officers had been alerted across the 33 LGAs of the state to identify warning signs, report suspected cases, and sensitise residents.

The Ogun State government on its part said it assured residents that no case had been recorded in the state as of October 21.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, in a statement on Wednesday, noted that Ogun had been on heightened alert since the declaration of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last March.

Coker urged residents to remain vigilant, observe preventive measures and avoid panic or the spread of unverified information.

She disclosed that 111 persons of interest, comprising passengers from high-risk countries, had been identified, monitored and subsequently discharged from follow-up after completing the required surveillance period.

Coker said the state’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre was coordinating preparedness and response activities to ensure the prompt identification, reporting and management of any suspected case.

In Ekiti, the government urged residents to remain calm, vigilant and observe preventive measures.

In an advisory issued in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, the state government said it had intensified public awareness campaigns, trained laboratory personnel and surveillance teams, inaugurated an Ebola Virus Disease Technical Working Group and strengthened infection prevention and control measures in health facilities.

It added that healthcare workers had undergone training in case management, while simulation exercises had been conducted at the treatment centre at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti.

In the same vein, the Niger State Ministry of Health said it had activated the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC).

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Murtala Muhammad-Bagana, made the disclosure in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Minna.

The commissioner said no case of Ebola had been detected in the state, but that there was a need to take precautionary measures against transmission.

Mohammed-Bagana noted that Niger’s high level of vigilance was critical due to the frequent transit and trade volume between the state and neighbouring Abuja.

Senate seeks emergency funds to stem spread

The Senate on Wednesday called for proactive steps to stem the spread of the dreaded disease, specifically asking the Federal Government to release emergency funds from the Service Wide Votes to provide preventive, essential services.

It said the funds should be made available to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Ports Health Services (PHS) to immediately implement preventive measures, especially comprehensive screening at all entry points into the country.

The Senate directed the mandatory screening of all arriving international travellers to Nigeria by air, land and sea by the health agencies, regardless of whether they are coming from a country of exposure or not.

The Red Chamber also resolved to amend the Quarantine Act 1926 in order to modernise public healthcare services in the country.

The Senate resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Senator Francis Adedayo Faduyile (Ondo-South), urging urgent intervention by the government to contain the spread of the disease in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Federal Government to account for the N10 billion approved for Ebola preparedness and provide updates on the current response following a confirmed case in Abuja.

Reacting on Wednesday through Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said Nigerians deserved urgent action and clear information on preparedness and surveillance.

READ ALSO: Ebola: Oyo govt activates emergency centres, says no confirmed case

The ADC presidential candidate asked the government to publish details of disbursement, including amounts released, dates of payment, contracts awarded and items delivered.

Avoid handshakes, hugs for now

The Academy of Medical Sciences of Nigeria has urged citizens to suspend handshakes, hugging, and unnecessary physical contact for now as part of efforts to stem the spread of the disease.

In a joint statement by its leadership—including Emeritus Professors Osato Giwa-Osagie, Oladapo Ashiru, and Boaz Adegboro—the Academy demanded immediate, nationwide activation of emergency protocols:

It also recommended stricter health checks at all airports, seaports, and land borders for travellers from affected nations, activation of isolation facilities in all states and strict safety frameworks for frontline workers.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has intensified its response to the Ebola outbreak, convening its first Incident Management Meeting and finalising an action plan to coordinate containment efforts.

The meeting, held on Wednesday following the Federal Government’s official declaration of the outbreak, brought together the agency’s leadership and key partners to align response activities.

The NCDC disclosed in a statement on Wednesday that its teams were already on the ground conducting case management and other response activities.

WHO rejects travel restrictions

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised against imposing travel or trade restrictions on countries affected by the Ebola outbreak, following Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 44 contacts identified for monitoring.

The organisation urged governments to sustain heightened disease surveillance, investigate alerts promptly, ensure laboratories can safely test suspected cases and keep rapid-response and clinical teams ready for immediate deployment.

While advising against travel and trade restrictions on affected countries, the organisation said it would continue to monitor and, where necessary, verify measures introduced in response to the outbreak.

In the meantime, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has placed major airports nationwide on heightened alert.

In a statement issued by Henry Agbebire, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, the authority said it was coordinating with the NCDC, Port Health Services, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other key stakeholders to support national containment efforts and protect air travellers.

“FAAN is maintaining heightened vigilance across airport operations and will continue to coordinate with public health authorities, align its response with further guidance, and support additional measures considered necessary to safeguard passengers, airport personnel, and the wider public,” Agbebire said.

No need to panic – FG

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, has said Nigerians have nothing to worry about over the confirmation of Ebola disease in the FCT.

He gave the assurance on Wednesday after his meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila.

Professor Pate told State House correspondents that the Federal Government was determined to contain the spread of the disease, the same manner it handled its outbreak in 2014.

He said, “All I can tell you is that we are collaborating with our sister African nation of Uganda. What is important is that we have found this one case. We are doing contact tracing, and we are putting containment measures to ensure that it doesn’t go into our population.

“The Federal Government has competent authorities to be able to deal with this. We (did) it in 2014, and we have good public health institutions. Nigerians should be reassured. We must be vigilant, but not panic, and people should respect public health information from trusted sources and not spread misinformation and false rumours.

“We will be truthful to Nigerians with the information that we receive on a daily basis. I will be receiving a report. NCDC has an incident management system. They are working 24/7, and the task force is also active. So we have things in place that give us confidence that Nigeria can weather through this public health crisis.”