The federal government has launched a presidential task force on Ebola preparedness and released N10 billion to strengthen Nigeria’s disease response system and prevent future outbreaks.
The move aims to keep Nigeria free of Ebola and avoid past mistakes from earlier public health emergencies.
FG Moves to Prevent Ebola Outbreak
However, President Bola Tinubu approved the immediate release of N10 billion on June 9 as emergency funding for Ebola and other emerging health threats.
Furthermore, the president set up a Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Ebola virus disease preparedness and wider public health risks.
Speaking at the inauguration in the State House, Abuja, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila said the government now prioritises prevention over reaction.
“Nigeria must not be caught off guard. Right now, there’s no case reported, and that’s good news,” he said.
Meanwhile, he stressed that all agencies must work together to ensure preventive systems stay active and effective.
Task Force Targets Borders and Surveillance
Consequently, the task force created subcommittees covering surveillance, border control, immigration, and emergency response.
Gbajabiamila said the government drew lessons from the 2014 Ebola outbreak and does not want a repeat of the crisis.
“We don’t want to be in the situation we were last time, where we had a carrier in the country, and we’re all running helter-skelter,” he said.
Furthermore, he said cooperation with states hosting international airports remains critical. Governors and representatives from Lagos, Rivers, Enugu, and the FCT attended the meeting.
However, he noted that the government now focuses strongly on land borders, where most cross-migration occurs.
“We are putting a lot of emphasis on land borders. We have a lot of cross-migration through the land borders,” he said.
He added that the Border Control Development Agency, immigration services, and border communities will all support the effort.
NCDC Warns Against Complacency
Meanwhile, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Jide Idris, confirmed that Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases.
However, he warned that the country must remain alert despite the clean record.
“We don’t have any Ebola case here now, but we need to be prepared,” Idris said.
Furthermore, he explained that surveillance and emergency systems at airports and other entry points now operate under strengthened protocols.
Consequently, he said multiple agencies now work together, including health, interior, education, immigration, and border control institutions.
“The bottom line is that the objective is that we do not allow Ebola to come in. If it does come in, we are prepared to rapidly identify and manage the case nationally,” he said.
Multi-Agency Response Framework
Meanwhile, the task force includes federal cabinet members, ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as state governments.
Furthermore, it also involves the World Health Organisation (WHO) and private sector partners in its coordination structure.
Consequently, officials say the framework aims to tighten early detection systems and improve rapid response capacity across Nigeria’s health security network.
