The Senate has urged the Federal Government to release emergency funds from the Service-Wide Vote to strengthen Nigeria’s defences against the Ebola threat, calling for mandatory health screening at international airports, seaports and designated land borders.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Francis Ade Faduyile (APC, Ondo South) during plenary on Wednesday, amid concerns over reports of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its potential spread to other countries.
Faduyile called for compulsory health declaration forms, temperature checks and symptom screening for all international arrivals, regardless of nationality or country of departure.
He also urged authorities to intensify surveillance of travellers who had visited or transited affected areas within the preceding 21 days, alongside exit screening during declared public health emergencies.
The senator stressed that Nigeria must strengthen its border health infrastructure by providing trained port health officers, thermal scanners, personal protective equipment and isolation facilities at entry points.
He further called for the activation of isolation and treatment centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure the country could respond promptly to any suspected case.
Faduyile also advocated the modernisation of the Quarantine Act of 1926 and adequate funding for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and Port Health Services.
Seconding the motion, Senator Ekong Sampson (APC, Akwa Ibom South) described Ebola as a serious public health threat, warning that failure to detect and contain an imported case promptly could expose more people to infection.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen healthcare preparedness and take preventive measures to protect Nigerians.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central) said the Federal Ministry of Health had initiated measures through the NCDC to address the threat.
However, he warned that the government should not wait until the 2027 budget or the approval of a supplementary appropriation before making funds available for emergency preparedness.
Aliero urged the Ministries of Finance and Budget and Economic Planning to release the necessary resources through the Service-Wide Vote to support the relevant agencies.
He said any delay in funding could weaken surveillance and screening efforts, insisting that the NCDC and Port Health Services needed immediate financial support to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
The Senate subsequently adopted the proposal, urging the Federal Government to provide emergency funding through the appropriate ministries to strengthen measures against the Ebola threat.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed concern over reports that a traveller had entered Nigeria without adequate screening upon arrival, raising questions about the effectiveness of health checks at the country’s entry points.
Akpabio recalled Nigeria’s experience during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, warning that failure to identify an infected traveller early could expose a large number of people to the disease.
He called for comprehensive screening of all international arrivals, irrespective of their countries of departure, noting that travellers could pass through third countries before reaching Nigeria.
The Senate President also urged the Senate Committee on Judiciary to engage relevant health authorities without delay to review the Quarantine Act and strengthen the legal framework for managing public health emergencies.
The lawmakers called on Nigerians and relevant authorities to remain vigilant and support preventive measures to minimise the risk of Ebola entering and spreading within the country.
The Senate’s resolution underscores the need for coordinated surveillance, adequate emergency funding and effective screening systems to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against cross-border health threats.
