Ebola

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Federal Government has directed hospitals and other health facilities across Nigeria to strengthen their isolation units and ensure the availability of protective equipment and essential medical supplies as part of efforts to prevent and manage any possible outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The directive was disclosed by Dr Yunus Mohammed Eze, Deputy Head of Clinical Services at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State, during an interview with journalists.

Eze said the Federal Ministry of Health had instructed health facilities nationwide to put emergency response arrangements in place to ensure the prompt identification, isolation and management of suspected Ebola cases.

He explained that FMC Birnin Kudu had responded by strengthening its isolation unit and placing healthcare workers on alert.

“The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health, communicated with health facilities across the country and directed them to prepare their isolation units and ensure that everything required to protect healthcare workers and manage affected patients was available,” he said.

According to him, the hospital management immediately implemented the directive and made arrangements to isolate suspected cases and refer patients to designated treatment centres where necessary.

Hospital intensifies public awareness

Eze said the hospital had also stepped up public health education through its Infectious Diseases Unit and Community Medicine Unit to raise awareness about infectious diseases and preventive practices.

He added that the facility was working with the Jigawa State Media Corporation to educate residents on disease prevention and the importance of promptly reporting suspected cases.

The medical expert further disclosed that healthcare workers regularly educate patients and visitors at the hospital, encouraging them to pass the information on to their families and communities.

The preparedness measures are intended to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond quickly to any suspected Ebola case, while ensuring the safety of healthcare workers and patients.

The Daily Reality

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has approved an emergency payment of ₦100,000 per week for individuals placed in isolation or quarantine as part of efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The agency’s Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, October 25, 2026.

According to Idris, the financial support was introduced after some individuals being monitored raised concerns about the cost of feeding, accommodation and providing for their families while in isolation.

“We introduced the payment after some contacts raised concerns about feeding, accommodation and how to take care of their families while under monitoring. The support is to ease their financial burden and encourage them to cooperate with health officials,” Idris said.

He explained that the payment was not part of the initial outbreak response plan but became necessary after the concerns were raised.

“This was not planned for, but it is an emergency. We will continue to review it as we go along,” he said.

The NCDC director-general also urged state governments to make adequate financial and logistical preparations for public health emergencies.

Idris stressed that the responsibility for containing disease outbreaks should not be left to the FCT alone, noting the importance of preparedness and cooperation among state governments.

The emergency support is intended to ease the financial pressure on affected individuals while they comply with isolation and quarantine measures.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Federal Government has inaugurated a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness as part of efforts to prevent a possible outbreak in the country.

Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, inaugurated the committee on Thursday in Abuja. He said the initiative was designed to ensure Nigeria takes preventive action early and avoids a repeat of the Ebola outbreak recorded in 2014.

“We did the inauguration today on the preparedness of Nigeria for the Ebola virus disease. We’ve covered a lot of ground.

“Right now, there’s no reported case, which is good news, and that’s why all hands have to be on deck to make sure the measures we are taking are preventive, not curative,” he said.

Gbajabiamila explained that the government intends to act ahead of any emergency instead of waiting until the virus enters the country.

“We don’t want to be in the situation we were last time, where we had a carrier in the country and we’re all running helter-skelter,” he added.

According to him, the task force has already created teams that will focus on disease surveillance, border monitoring and emergency coordination.

He stated that the new strategy extends beyond airport checks and now includes stronger monitoring at land borders and informal travel routes.

Gbajabiamila noted that authorities are expanding surveillance because of the high level of movement across land borders. He said agencies such as Immigration, the Border Control Development Agency and border communities are involved in the operation.

Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, also confirmed that health screening measures have been strengthened at major entry points across the country.

He added that the preparedness plan connects federal ministries and state governments to ensure coordinated action against any possible Ebola outbreak.