The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised the alarm over the high risk of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) being imported into Nigeria following ongoing outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The agency, however, clarified that no confirmed case has been recorded in the country.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, said the agency’s latest risk assessment placed Nigeria on high alert due to increased regional transmission, international travel, and cross-border movements.
According to him, the possibility of delayed detection remains a major concern because Ebola symptoms often resemble those of endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever.
“This assessment estimated the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high due to the ongoing transmission in the DRC and Uganda, international travel and population movement, uncertainty regarding the full magnitude of the outbreak, and the potential for delayed recognition because symptoms may overlap with endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever,” the statement read.
The NCDC disclosed that some states have been identified as particularly vulnerable because of their proximity to international borders, transport corridors, and major entry points.
The agency noted that response measures are already ongoing in the affected countries, including surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, as well as public sensitisation campaigns.
The agency also confirmed reports of an imported Ebola case in Uganda linked to the outbreak in the DRC.
As part of preventive measures, the NCDC said the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been placed on alert mode, while the Incident Management System has been activated to strengthen coordination and outbreak response nationwide.
The agency stressed that Nigeria still possesses strong response capacities built from previous experiences in tackling Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic diseases.
“It also must be noted that Nigeria maintains important response capacities, including laboratory capability, trained rapid response teams, functional Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs), established viral haemorrhagic fever preparedness structures, and prior experience in successfully responding to Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks,” the statement added.
The NCDC further stated that epidemiologists and Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been placed on standby for immediate deployment to any affected state if necessary.
Laboratories in states with international points of entry have also been placed on alert, while efforts are ongoing to strengthen sample collection and transportation systems for quick diagnosis of suspected cases.
To curb misinformation, the agency said it has intensified public awareness and risk communication campaigns through collaboration with healthcare professionals, community leaders, media organisations, and digital platforms.
The NCDC added that it has developed and circulated “Ebola Myths and Facts” materials to address false claims and misleading information circulating online.
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