By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its preparedness to contain the Ebola outbreak, saying surveillance systems, contact tracing and emergency response mechanisms have been activated to prevent further spread of the disease.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance on Wednesday after an emergency meeting of the task force at the State House, Abuja, Gbajabiamila, who is also the Chief of Staff to the President, said the task force had been working behind the scenes since its inauguration in June to strengthen the country's preparedness and response capacity.
According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday,
Gbajabiamila attributed the early identification of the index case to surveillance measures and protocols put in place by the Ministry of Health, the task force and relevant agencies.
According to him, Nigeria has recorded about 44,000 flights into and out of the country since Ebola concerns emerged in June, underscoring the importance of the surveillance measures implemented by the authorities.
“The passenger with the disease showed no symptoms, which came four days after the woman got into Abuja, and it was the identification process and the protocols that were put in place that enabled the quick identification,” he said.
Gbajabiamila assured Nigerians that the task force would strengthen existing protocols and ensure stricter enforcement of public health measures to prevent further transmission.
“The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck. We must build community trust and avoid panic, but it's also important to state clearly that this is a collaborative effort between the government and the people,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to cooperate with health authorities and comply with public health directives in the interest of collective safety.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, also assured citizens that Nigeria had the expertise and institutional capacity to respond effectively to the outbreak.
Pate said health authorities, private hospitals, immigration and aviation agencies, the Ministry of Interior and subnational governments had established surveillance systems and response mechanisms across the country.
He disclosed that contact tracing was ongoing, while individuals identified as contacts of the imported index case were being isolated as part of efforts to prevent further spread.
According to him, the Federal Government, working with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), had activated the incident management system across the various response pillars.
“They are working day and night diligently, and our hospital capabilities are also activated, such that we can aim to contain this case, as has been the case in other countries, but we will not relent. Our population should respect public health directives,” he said.
The minister added that most states had adequate response plans and that the government was mobilising available resources and capabilities to support containment efforts.
He expressed confidence that sustained surveillance, coordinated action and public cooperation would help the country control the outbreak.
Pate also cautioned Nigerians against spreading misinformation and unverified reports capable of creating unnecessary panic.
“The key also for the population is to avoid spreading misinformation or baseless rumours, which can cause unnecessary panic. The Task Force leadership has met. WHO and AfricaCDC are working closely with the team,” he said.
He recalled the contributions of Nigerian public health experts who helped contain the 2014 Ebola outbreak and supported response efforts in other countries, expressing confidence in the country's ability to overcome the current challenge.
Other officials at the emergency meeting included the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Bunmi Kuku; FAAN General Manager, Adamu Adamu; WHO Representative, Pavel Ursu; and Africa CDC Special Regional Representative to the Director-General, Dr. Aliko Ahmed.
Also present were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations and Secretary of the Task Force, Oyinade Nathan-Marsh; Public Health Executive, Niniola Williams; FCT Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; and Chairman of the State House Medical Centre's Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Victoria Ogala.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; and Director of Operations, Licensing and Training Standards at the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Donald Spiff, participated in the meeting virtually.