The Federal Government has directed public and private hospitals across the country to immediately activate isolation facilities and reinforce infection prevention protocols following the confirmation of an Ebola virus case in the nation’s capital.
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Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on the government’s containment strategy, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, cautioned that 15 states have yet to update their emergency response and contingency plans.
In a subsequent presentation to the National Economic Council (NEC), Prof. Pate disclosed that while 21 states had accelerated local preparations and heightened surveillance capacity, the remaining 15 states must immediately speed up operational readiness to prevent potential spread.
The national response is being coordinated through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), in direct collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Prof. Pate urged private health practitioners to immediately report suspected cases to public health authorities and emphasized mandatory infection control training and protective equipment for frontline medical personnel.
He added that the Ministry continues to engage the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and state governments to ensure all health institutions within their jurisdictions meet required containment standards.
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