FG Steps Up Ebola Containment as Senate Demands Emergency Funds, States Activate Response Plans

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to contain the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) following the confirmation of an imported case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assuring Nigerians that health authorities are working to prevent further transmission.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed on Wednesday that the government was coordinating with relevant health institutions and Ugandan authorities to contain the infection and strengthen surveillance.

The case was confirmed on Tuesday after laboratory tests detected the virus in a woman who had recently travelled to East Africa, particularly Uganda. According to Pate, the patient returned to Nigeria with symptoms on October 7, and her condition worsened four days later before tests confirmed the infection.

He said the patient had been isolated and was receiving medical attention, while contact tracing and other containment measures had commenced.

Speaking to journalists after an emergency meeting at the State House in Abuja, Pate said Nigeria was collaborating with Ugandan authorities to investigate the case and prevent the virus from spreading within the country.

Uganda, however, has denied reports of an Ebola outbreak, maintaining that travel through the country alone does not establish where the infection was contracted.

Pate said, “All I can tell you is that we are collaborating with our sister African nation, Uganda. What is important is that we have found this one case. We are doing contact tracing, and we are putting containment measures to ensure that it doesn’t go into our population.”

The minister expressed confidence in Nigeria’s public health institutions, citing the country’s experience in managing the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

He urged Nigerians to remain alert without giving in to panic, advising them to obtain information from credible health authorities and avoid spreading unverified reports.

“Nigerians should be reassured. We must be vigilant, but not panic, and people should respect public health information from trusted sources, and not spread misinformation and false rumours,” he said.

NCDC Identifies Bundibugyo Strain, Says Patient Is a Diplomat

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified the Ebola strain detected in the FCT as the Bundibugyo strain, with officials disclosing that the patient is a diplomat whose condition has deteriorated.

The Bundibugyo virus was first identified in Uganda in 2007. It causes Bundibugyo virus disease, a rare and severe illness associated with viral haemorrhagic fever.

The Director of the NCDC’s Public Health Laboratory Services, Olajumoke Babatunde, said three rounds of molecular testing were conducted to establish the strain responsible for the infection.

“We did three levels of tests, but all were molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo,” Babatunde said during an emergency management meeting in Abuja.

Another official disclosed that the patient was a diplomat and had developed multi-organ failure as the illness progressed.

Presidential Task Force Assures Nigerians

The Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats has assured Nigerians that the country has the capacity to manage the situation.

The task force chairman and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance after the group’s emergency meeting at the State House on Wednesday.

He said relevant agencies were working together to contain the infection, while stressing the importance of public cooperation and community trust.

“The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; every hand 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,” Gbajabiamila said.

The Federal Government has also urged Nigerians to maintain proper hand hygiene, adopt preventive healthcare practices and cooperate with public health officials.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the appeal on Wednesday in Abuja at the inaugural National Self-Care Conference.

Salako encouraged Nigerians to adopt healthy lifestyles, monitor their health and seek professional medical attention when necessary.

He described self-care as an important tool for preventing diseases, improving health outcomes and reducing pressure on healthcare facilities.

He explained that self-care includes healthy eating, physical activity, adherence to prescribed medications and regular monitoring of health conditions.

However, he cautioned that self-care should not replace professional medical treatment or excuse the government from its responsibility to provide accessible and affordable healthcare.

Senate Demands Emergency Funding, Compulsory Border Screening

The Senate has called on the Federal Government to release emergency funds for disease surveillance and introduce mandatory health screening at international airports, seaports and designated land borders.

The lawmakers adopted the position following a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Francis Faduyile, who raised concerns about the Bundibugyo Ebola strain and its potential threat to public health.

Although the Senate acknowledged the government’s existing response measures, including health declaration forms and enhanced screening, it expressed concern that current protocols covered travellers from only selected countries.

Lawmakers warned that the limited coverage could create gaps in disease surveillance, particularly given reported shortages of personnel and equipment at points of entry.

They also raised concerns about the reliance of Port Health Services on the Quarantine Act of 1926, calling for its replacement with updated legislation aligned with the International Health Regulations introduced in 2005.

The Senate noted that Nigeria’s existing public health challenges, including Lassa fever, cholera and diphtheria, made stronger preparedness and emergency response measures necessary.

States Intensify Surveillance and Emergency Preparedness

Several state governments have activated emergency response measures and strengthened disease surveillance following the confirmation of the Ebola case in the FCT.

Gombe, Jigawa, Niger, Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Edo, Ekiti and Anambra are among the states that have announced preparedness measures aimed at detecting suspected infections early and preventing further transmission.

Gombe, Jigawa and Niger Strengthen Surveillance

In Gombe State, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Adamu Danladi Bojude, said the Ministry of Health was strengthening surveillance and coordinating with national health authorities.

He told Daily Trust that no person of interest had been identified in the state as of Wednesday.

Jigawa State has intensified its preparedness measures, including activating the Infectious Disease Hospital isolation centre for the possible admission of suspected cases.

The State Epidemiologist, Ismail Ibrahim, said the government had provided an ambulance for evacuating suspected patients and stocked drugs and medical supplies to support case management.

He added that evacuation teams, public health emergency operations personnel and contact tracers had received training to improve preparedness and identify people who might have been exposed to the virus.

Surveillance personnel across the state had also been sensitised to improve community and hospital monitoring, reporting and early detection.

In Niger State, the government said it had activated its Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and deployed disease surveillance officers and response teams across local government areas.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Murtala Bagana, said the measures were intended to strengthen contact tracing, clinical assessment and referral procedures.

He noted that the frequent movement of people and goods between Niger State and Abuja made heightened vigilance particularly important.

Lagos and Kaduna Intensify Public Awareness

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said the state remained prepared to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

He said the government was strengthening its capacity to respond to high-priority pathogens and other public health threats.

In Kaduna State, the Director of Public Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr Sadique Abubakar, said the government was developing public education messages on Ebola transmission, symptoms and prevention.

He said awareness campaigns would be conducted through radio, television and other media platforms, alongside regular reviews of preparedness measures and the issuance of public health advisories.

Oyo and Ogun Maintain Heightened Alert

Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, said the state began strengthening its preparedness for Ebola and other infectious diseases in June 2026.

She said disease surveillance units had been activated across the state’s 33 local government areas, while health facilities had received educational materials on transmission, prevention and emergency contacts.

In neighbouring Ogun State, the government said it had intensified surveillance and preparedness, adding that no Ebola case had been recorded in the state as of October 21, 2026.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, said Ogun had maintained heightened vigilance since the declaration of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March 2026.

She disclosed that 111 persons of interest, comprising passengers from high-risk countries, had been identified and monitored before completing the required surveillance period and being discharged from follow-up.

Coker said the state’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre was coordinating preparedness activities, while relevant health personnel had been trained to identify and manage suspected cases.

Kwara and Borno Prepare Response Teams

Kwara State has stepped up disease surveillance, alerted healthcare facilities and prepared screening and treatment supplies.

The state government said hospitals and other health facilities had been sensitised to identify and report suspected infections, while disease surveillance officers had been reminded to watch for symptoms associated with Ebola.

An emergency operations meeting involving relevant stakeholders, including environmental authorities, was also convened to improve coordination and reporting.

In Borno State, the Ministry of Health has established a specialised rapid response team as part of efforts to prevent a potential outbreak.

The Director of Public Health, Dr Goni Imam Ali, said community sensitisation campaigns had also been launched to educate residents about Ebola symptoms and encourage prompt reporting of suspected cases.

He urged community leaders to support the awareness campaign and help distribute accurate preventive information.

Adamawa, Bauchi and Edo Review Preparedness

Adamawa State has directed heads of emergency operations centre pillars to hold an urgent meeting to strengthen its preparedness and response arrangements.

The Head of Information Department at the Ministry of Health and Human Services, Abubakar Mohammed, said the directive was issued by the Permanent Secretary, Pharm. Amos Enoch Piribu, during a meeting with technical directors.

The measures include activating the State Rapid Response Team, strengthening the Infectious Disease Centre and reinforcing surveillance across the state’s 21 local government areas.

In Bauchi State, a senior Ministry of Health director said existing surveillance and response teams were already handling other public health threats, including Lassa fever, diphtheria and cholera.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, identified three isolation centres at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi Specialist Hospital and Kandahar Primary Healthcare Centre.

The state was awaiting further guidance from the NCDC on Ebola preparedness.

In Edo State, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Paul Eighemhenrio, said the government had strengthened public health measures, including community and hospital surveillance, monitoring of persons of interest, infection prevention and control, and public risk communication.

He said the state was working with relevant authorities to ensure suspected cases were identified and referred promptly while providing residents with accurate health information.

Ekiti Advises Residents on Preventive Measures

The Ekiti State Government has urged residents to remain calm but vigilant, practise regular handwashing and avoid contact with the bodily fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.

The government also advised people who believe they may have been exposed to the virus to report promptly, even if they have no symptoms.

Residents who develop symptoms were urged to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities before visiting a healthcare facility.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the National Biosafety Management Agency, Dr Fatima Suleiman-Zuntu, urged Nigerians to remain calm and rely on verified information.

She said the agency was prepared to make its biosafety experts available to the NCDC and other response teams to support containment and infection prevention.

Suleiman-Zuntu said Nigeria’s experience in containing Ebola in 2014 underscored the importance of preparedness, coordinated action and public cooperation.

Anambra Monitors Seven Persons of Interest

The Anambra State Government has disclosed that it is monitoring seven persons of interest as part of measures to prevent the spread of Ebola.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, made the disclosure during a briefing in Awka on Wednesday, stressing that no confirmed case had been recorded in the state.

According to him, 40 persons had been monitored, with 33 completing the surveillance process and being cleared, while seven remained under active follow-up. All seven were reported to be stable.

Obidike added that surveillance had been strengthened at airports, markets, motor parks, banks and other public places to support early detection and the investigation of alerts.

The state government said the measures were aimed at ensuring that suspected cases were identified quickly and appropriate action taken to prevent further transmission.