Peter Adewuyi, a public health physician and senior field epidemiologist, has called for comprehensive contact tracing and stronger digital surveillance.
Mr Adewuyi also called for improved public reporting channels to strengthen Nigeria’s Ebola response.
Mr Adewuyi made the call in an interview on Friday in Abuja, against the backdrop of the recently confirmed imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease. He restated the need for thorough investigations to identify everyone who might have been exposed to the infected woman before her diagnosis.
He said the 44 contacts reported by the authorities should not necessarily be regarded as the final number, as investigations into the patient’s movements and healthcare encounters were ongoing.
“The woman’s infection was confirmed on October 20, following her arrival in Nigeria from Uganda earlier in the month. According to the World Health Organisation, she arrived on October 5, developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical attention on October 11,” he said.
Mr Adewuyi said investigators should reconstruct the patient’s movements and establish the circumstances surrounding her treatment at every healthcare facility she visited. He said contact tracing should include not only doctors and nurses but also cleaners, caregivers, other patients and anyone who might have had relevant exposure.
“Everyone who treated this person from day one until the time she was diagnosed should be assessed. Whether the person came to sweep the room or make the bed, every one of them should be considered during the investigation,” he said.
The epidemiologist urged investigators to establish the nature and timing of each person’s exposure rather than assume that everyone who entered a facility was equally at risk. He noted that Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak began when Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer arrived in Lagos while ill and was treated before his infection was recognised.
According to him, the experience demonstrated the importance of early detection, detailed investigations and prompt identification of contacts. Mr Adewuyi urged investigators to examine hospital admission records, staff duty rosters and patient registers while conducting interviews to identify possible exposures.
Mr Adewuyi called for detailed interviews and verification of information provided by individuals to establish an accurate account of the patient’s movements. He said that Nigeria had trained epidemiologists who could support investigations without necessarily relying on personnel from other countries.
He urged the government to provide professionals with the resources, logistics, and operational support needed to carry out their work effectively.
Mr Adewuyi said during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, a digital outbreak-management system was developed using Open Data Kit (ODK) technology. He said the tool helped response teams monitor identified contacts and trigger timely interventions.
Mr Adewuyi expressed concern about access to public reporting channels during emergencies, saying he tried to call the NCDC’s toll-free line but found it busy. He said an overloaded telephone line could prevent people seeking guidance from reaching the appropriate authorities promptly.
(NAN)
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