The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has called on state governments to increase funding for health workers and strengthen disease surveillance as part of efforts to prevent Ebola from entering the country.
Speaking at the third Adetokunbo Alakija Memorial Lecture and the induction of 52 new members into the Nigerian Society of Travel Medicine in Lagos on Thursday, NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, stressed the importance of stronger state support for public health preparedness.
He said the Federal Government has intensified efforts to keep Ebola out of Nigeria, but noted that states must invest more in healthcare infrastructure, capacity building, and frontline health personnel to ensure effective prevention and response.
Idris explained that authorities have strengthened surveillance at airports and other entry points across the country, while contact-tracing systems remain in place to quickly identify and contain any suspected case.
According to him, several government agencies are collaborating to prevent the importation of the virus. He added that the NCDC is engaging state governors and commissioners through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to secure greater commitment to health sector funding.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Society of Travel Medicine, Dr. Patrick Chukwuma, said the organisation was established in recognition of the role travel plays in spreading infectious diseases across borders.
He urged healthcare professionals to make travel history a routine part of patient assessment, noting that it can help identify and prevent the spread of diseases such as Ebola and COVID-19.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the state has strengthened preventive measures in collaboration with airport authorities due to the high volume of international travel through Lagos. He also disclosed that the government is working on legislation to make health insurance compulsory for residents.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government reaffirmed its preparedness to prevent, detect, and respond to any Ebola outbreak. The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, said surveillance activities have been intensified across all 33 local government areas, while rapid response teams and laboratories remain on standby.
She urged residents to stay alert, promptly report suspected symptoms, and remain calm, stressing that Nigeria has not recorded any case of Ebola.
