“The Task Force Is On Top Of It, NCDC Is On Top Of It” — FG Assures Nigerians Of Capacity To Contain Ebola

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that the country has the capacity to contain the confirmed Ebola case in Abuja, attributing the early detection of the infection to preparedness measures put in place by the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness.

Chairman of the Task Force and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance on Wednesday after an emergency meeting of the group at the State House, Abuja.

According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled “Ebola: FG Assures Nigerians of Containment Strategies,” Gbajabiamila said the Task Force had been working behind the scenes since its inauguration in June.

He said the measures already put in place contributed to the quick identification of the case confirmed on Tuesday.

“Since the issue of Ebola came up in June, there have been about 44,000 flights in and out of Nigeria. So it’s because of what the Ministry of Health, the Task Force and all the agencies have been doing. All hands have been on deck,” Gbajabiamila said.

He explained that the woman showed no symptoms when she arrived in Nigeria, with symptoms appearing four days after she entered Abuja.

“It was the identification process and the protocols that were put in place that enabled the quick identification. That also speaks to the country’s capacity and ability to deal with this disease as best as we can,” the former Speaker of the House of Representatives said.

Gbajabiamila said the Task Force would strengthen existing protocols where necessary and ensure stricter enforcement as authorities work 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 appealed to Nigerians to comply with public health directives, stressing that cooperation between citizens and the government would be critical to containing the disease.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also expressed confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to manage the situation, pointing to the country’s health institutions and surveillance systems.

Pate said health authorities, private hospitals, immigration and aviation agencies, the Ministry of Interior and subnational governments had activated measures to respond to the outbreak.

“We have been conducting contact tracing diligently and isolating those contacts of the index imported case in this country. We will continue to do that. Most of our states have adequate response plans. We have the resources, and we’re mobilising those capabilities. And we’re also confident that if we continue on this path, we should be able to dent this outbreak,” he said.

Pate disclosed that the World Health Organisation, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had activated the incident management system across various response pillars, while hospital capabilities had also been activated.

The minister urged Nigerians to avoid circulating “baseless rumours” capable of causing unnecessary panic, recalling that Nigeria’s public health professionals successfully contained Ebola during the 2014 outbreak.

The emergency meeting was attended by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Bunmi Kuku; WHO Representative Pavel Ursu; and Africa CDC Special Regional Representative, Dr. Aliko Ahmed.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s Captain Donald Spiff participated virtually.

Pate had on Tuesday announced that laboratory testing confirmed Ebola in a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria from Uganda.

According to information released by the government, the woman developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical attention at a private hospital in Abuja on October 11, while laboratory confirmation was obtained on October 20.

The Federal Government said 44 persons identified as contacts of the patient were being monitored as health authorities intensified contact tracing and containment measures.

President Bola Tinubu had on June 9 established the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, chaired by Gbajabiamila, and approved ₦10 billion for emergency preparedness.

Measures introduced as part of the preparedness efforts include enhanced screening at airports, QR-code health declarations for passengers arriving from high-risk countries and isolation facilities at the Lagos and Abuja airports.

At the Task Force’s inauguration on June 18, Gbajabiamila said Nigeria had no confirmed Ebola case at the time and stressed that the government was determined to avoid a repeat of the circumstances surrounding the country’s 2014 outbreak.

[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials

Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com