…Confirms patient receiving treatment in Abuja
…Idris warns against waiting for test results before taking precautions
…Calls for nationwide review of infection control measures
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has directed public and private hospitals across the country to strengthen Ebola screening and immediately isolate suspected cases without waiting for laboratory confirmation, as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the confirmed infection in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The directive came as the agency commenced a 21-day monitoring of people who may have been exposed to the patient infected with the Bundibugyo virus, including healthcare workers, caregivers, household members and other contacts identified during investigations.
Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this on Saturday, warning that prompt identification, isolation and reporting of suspected cases were critical to preventing further transmission.
He said the confirmed patient was receiving medical care under isolation, with infection prevention and control measures in place.
In a statement on the national response, Idris said healthcare facilities must review their preparedness, strengthen screening and triage procedures, ensure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment and train personnel on its correct use.
“Any suspected case must be promptly separated from other patients and reported to the relevant public health authorities. Healthcare workers should not wait for laboratory confirmation before taking appropriate precautions,” he said.
The directive places healthcare facilities at the centre of the containment effort, with the NCDC stressing that delayed recognition of suspected cases could undermine efforts to prevent further spread.
Idris said the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, FCT health authorities and technical partners, had activated a coordinated national response.
“We are treating this situation with the urgency it deserves. There is a clear response plan, experienced personnel and established public health systems that we are deploying to prevent further transmission,” he said.
Contacts to be monitored for 21 days
The NCDC chief said public health teams were working to identify everyone who might have been exposed to the confirmed case, assess the level of exposure and monitor their health for 21 days after their last possible exposure.
He explained that the contacts being investigated could include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers, household members, travel-related contacts and others whose interactions with the patient might have posed a risk.
Idris cautioned that the number of identified contacts could change as investigations progressed, describing the process as a normal feature of contact tracing.
He appealed to anyone contacted by public health officials to cooperate fully and provide accurate information about their movements, contacts and any symptoms they might have experienced.
“An identified contact does not mean that you have Ebola. It means that public health teams need to assess and monitor your health so that any possible infection can be identified early,” he said.
He added that cooperation with contact-tracing teams would help health authorities detect possible infections promptly and limit further transmission.
NCDC activates emergency response
Idris said the response was being coordinated through an Emergency Operations Centre under a structured Incident Management System, with national leadership involving the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease.
He listed the priority areas as contact tracing, clinical management, infection prevention and control, enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing and public communication.
According to him, NCDC is working with the treating facility to strengthen clinical management and ensure that healthcare workers observe the necessary protective measures.
The agency is also drawing on experienced clinicians and case managers, including professionals involved in Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola response, while mobilising additional expertise where required.
Idris said surveillance and laboratory capacity were being strengthened to ensure that suspected cases could be investigated and tested promptly.
He said the immediate objective was to ensure that anyone presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola could be identified early, separated safely from other patients and reported to public health authorities without delay.
The director-general also urged healthcare facilities to maintain strict hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, injection safety and proper management of sharps.
He said adequate personal protective equipment must be available and healthcare workers trained to use it correctly.
“Protecting healthcare workers is essential to protecting the communities they serve,” he said, adding that the safety, health and welfare of frontline personnel would be prioritised throughout the response.
Idris recalls lessons from 2014 outbreak
The NCDC director-general drew on Nigeria’s experience during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when he served as Lagos State Commissioner for Health and was involved in coordinating the state’s response.
He said the experience had demonstrated the importance of early detection, effective contact tracing, infection prevention and control, coordinated leadership and public cooperation.
“Since 2014, Nigeria has continued to develop its public health systems, strengthen its workforce and build additional tools and capacities for managing outbreaks. We are drawing on those experiences and capabilities today,” he said.
Idris commended the healthcare workers whose clinical vigilance contributed to the detection of the current case, noting that their ability to recognise concerning symptoms triggered the public health investigation.
He said the alert was captured through NCDC’s event-based surveillance system, after which the agency engaged FCT health authorities and the necessary investigations and laboratory testing were conducted.
He described the development as evidence of the importance of surveillance systems and frontline healthcare workers in identifying unusual public health events.
NCDC warns against misinformation
The agency also raised concerns about misinformation, warning that unverified claims could generate fear, discourage people from reporting symptoms and weaken public cooperation.
Idris urged Nigerians to rely on verified information from NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other authorised public health sources.
He also cautioned against stigmatising the patient, identified contacts, healthcare workers or affected communities.
As part of preventive measures, he advised Nigerians to wash their hands regularly with soap and running water or use alcohol-based hand rubs, avoid direct contact with the blood and body fluids of suspected cases, and report possible exposure promptly.
Anyone who develops symptoms following a possible exposure, he said, should contact public health authorities immediately and follow their instructions before visiting a healthcare facility.
Idris emphasised that the response required cooperation from individuals, families, communities, healthcare institutions, professional associations, civil society organisations, private businesses and development partners.
He said the immediate priority remained identifying and monitoring contacts, protecting healthcare workers, providing appropriate care and preventing further transmission.
The NCDC director-general said the situation remained under active investigation and that response measures would be reviewed as new information became available.
He urged Nigerians to remain calm, follow public health guidance and cooperate with authorities to prevent further spread of the disease.
