Ebola: NCDC urges govs to strengthen funding for prevention measures

Amid concerns over the resurgence of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease in parts of Africa, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jide Idris, has appealed to governors across the 36 states to provide adequate funding for their health workers as part of measures aimed at preventing the virus from entering Nigeria.

Idris made the appeal at the 3rd edition of the Adetokunbo Alakija Memorial Lecture and induction of new members into the Nigerian Society of Travel Medicine, held in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday.

Idris said that while the Federal Government had continued to implement measures to ensure that Ebola did not spread into the country, state governments needed to do more in capacity building and funding interventions aimed at preventing the spread of the disease.

He noted that some of the measures already in place included strengthened monitoring and prevention efforts at airports, as well as contact tracing where necessary.

Idris said, “The idea is to prevent any cases from entering the country, and this is one of the most practical ways to achieve that. Other government agencies are also collaborating, particularly in Lagos and at airport points of entry. Similar measures have been established at other international airports across the country.

“There is a need to support health workers across the states because they are key stakeholders in this response. The NCDC cannot carry the burden alone. State governments need to fund their personnel and provide the necessary infrastructure.

“We are engaging with them through the Governors’ Forum and urging commissioners to push for stronger health sector support in their respective states. Some states are already making progress, but more advocacy is needed to ensure broader commitment.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the NSTM, Dr Patrick Chukwuma, said the realisation that most viruses and diseases are spread through travel informed the establishment of the association.

Chukwuma said, “Travel medicine is all about the traveller’s health. We aim to prevent illness among travellers. So, you can imagine that if you are travelling and come down with an illness, it will disrupt your entire trip.

“We are also learning that diseases such as Ebola, COVID-19 and others are spread through travel. So, travel medicine is also about being gatekeepers to prevent the importation of dangerous viruses into a country.”

Admonishing the newly inducted members, Chukwuma urged them to make travel history a routine part of patient assessment.

“For the message to them, travel medicine has to be at the forefront. There is something we say in medicine — vital signs: check your temperature, check your blood pressure.

“In checking the vital signs of a patient, we also want to start checking travel history because it is a way to act as a gatekeeper and prevent diseases from coming in,” he added.

In his remarks, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the state understood its vulnerability to the spread of diseases because of the volume of air travel activities taking place daily.

He noted that, in response to this reality, the government had initiated preventive measures in collaboration with airport officials to ensure that Ebola does not enter the country.

The commissioner added that the state had commenced work on legislation to make health insurance compulsory for residents.

In her keynote lecture titled, “From Prevention to Protection: Integrating HIV into Nigeria’s Travel Health Architecture,” the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Temitope Ilori, noted that Nigeria remained a country of concern in Africa’s HIV response.

She said that although significant progress had been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, “mobility can interrupt prevention, testing and treatment access for migrants, traders, transport workers, students, pilgrims and returning residents.”

“Travel health systems already engage people before departure, at entry points and during cross-border movements; these platforms can support voluntary HIV services without creating travel barriers,” Ilori added.

The highlight of the event was the induction of 52 new members into the NSTM.

It was reported that the FG has intensified health screening at the country’s airports, seaports and land borders, announcing that travellers identified as high-risk or displaying symptoms associated with Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fevers will be subjected to secondary screening, isolation and referral procedures.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had stated that there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria but stressed that heightened preparedness measures have been activated nationwide to safeguard public health.