The Federal Government plans to identify and equip Ebola treatment centers in states with designated ports of entry, as contacts linked to Nigeria’s confirmed case rise to 53.
These measures form part of efforts to strengthen the country’s preparedness for a possible spread of the disease, with the government assessing isolation capacity at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and planning an infection prevention and control assessment at Karu General Hospital.
According to an Ebola situation report obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, the authorities are also working to set up referral mechanisms for suspected cases, bolster surveillance at ports of entry, and enhance the capacity of healthcare facilities to handle possible infections.
The FG is also boosting preparedness for the Ebola outbreak by assessing isolation.
The report stated that the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital had undergone a needs assessment and optimisation for isolation and treatment, while an infection prevention and control assessment was planned for Karu General Hospital, Abuja, to determine its capacity to handle a possible surge in isolation needs.
Under the next steps for case management, the report stated that the authorities would pursue the “identification and optimization of treatment centers in states with designated POEs,” referring to designated ports of entry.
It also listed establishing referral mechanisms for suspected cases as a priority, specifying the need to arrange transfers of patients “from point of detection to treatment centers.”
The document read in part, “The measures are aimed at ensuring that suspected Ebola cases can be identified, isolated, and referred promptly, including in states that may need to respond to infections detected at international entry points.”
“University of Abuja Teaching Hospital readiness as an isolation and treatment center. Concluded needs assessment & optimization in UATH
“Identification and optimization of treatment centers in states with designated POEs. Conduct an IPC assessment for surge capacity for isolation in Karu General Hospital.”
This development follows the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s approval of an emergency payment of N100,000 per person weekly to assist those placed in isolation or quarantine after complaints arose regarding the cost of feeding, accommodation, and supporting their families.
The NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, announced this financial intervention during a press briefing on Sunday, explaining that the payment was introduced so that people identified as contacts could adhere to public health monitoring arrangements without facing additional financial hardship.
The situation report stated that the national incident management system had been activated under the coordination of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, with prioritized activities being implemented across the response areas.
It further noted that an Incident Action Plan had been finalized to guide coordination among government agencies, healthcare facilities, and response partners.
Under the coordination pillar, the report cited ongoing coordination across the “one health sectors and partners,” along with continued implementation of the action plan and enhanced preparedness in high-risk states.
Idris said the agency introduced the N100,000 weekly payment after some contacts complained about the financial burden of staying in isolation or quarantine, including the cost of feeding, accommodation, and providing for their families.
“We are paying for their accommodation; we are paying for their feeding. Some of them are asking for a stipend to maintain their families,” he said.
The NCDC chief added, “We are providing N100,000 per person per week just to maintain their comfort and feeding, because they were complaining.”
He stated that the intervention was not part of the original response plan but became necessary because of the circumstances surrounding the outbreak.
“This was not planned for, but it is an emergency. We will continue to review it as we go along,” Idris said.
The payment is meant to relieve the financial burden on people who must follow public health monitoring and isolation requirements, especially those who may not be able to keep up their usual work or business activities during the monitoring period.
Idris emphasized that the duty to support contacts and handle public health emergencies should not fall to the FCT alone, cautioning that other states would need to make sufficient financial and logistical arrangements if similar emergencies occurred within their own jurisdictions.
“This is not the responsibility of the FCT alone. What we have to do for the FCT, we have to do for any other state, just in case,” he said.
He called on state governments to ready the resources required to back contact tracing, isolation, surveillance, and other emergency response efforts.
The situation report indicated that 53 contacts had been identified, line-listed, and categorized, while contact tracing and monitoring were ongoing.
It included the identification and categorization of contacts among the activities already carried out under the surveillance and contact-tracing pillar.
The document further noted that the next steps involved classifying contacts by exposure status and conducting daily follow-up according to their categories.
This number marks a rise from the initial 44 contacts announced after the confirmed case was reported in the FCT.
Idris clarified that 44 of the 53 primary contacts were linked to the health facility where the patient received treatment, while the other nine comprised household members and individuals who attended to her during an earlier emergency room visit.
As a result, the investigation has widened beyond the facility where the infection was confirmed, with health officials working to determine whether others may have been exposed before the patient was isolated.
The NCDC is likewise tracing secondary contacts to establish whether any of the identified individuals might have gone on to expose others.
“For each person, we are going to ask questions. We have to establish who they have been in contact with. If we can identify those people, they will also be monitored,” Idris said.
The agency stated that contacts would be checked every day and that anyone showing symptoms would be evaluated without delay.
Idris revealed that a contact who had reported feeling unwell tested negative, though monitoring and follow-up efforts were still ongoing.
The NCDC has also updated its case definition for Ebola disease to help health workers, surveillance teams, and other stakeholders recognize suspected infections.
According to the revised criteria, suspected cases can include individuals with sudden fever and specific symptoms who have relevant travel or epidemiological links, people with unexplained bleeding, or those who show symptoms after contact with a confirmed or probable case.
The agency further urged community members to report unexplained deaths and people with symptoms that could indicate Ebola, especially where there is a history of possible exposure.
The report revealed that the NCDC National Reference Laboratory and the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases had completed genomic sequencing of the confirmed case.
It stated that the two institutions had finished the “phylogenetic sequencing.”
Next steps involve sharing the genomic sequencing report, carrying on with diagnostic testing, and keeping laboratory records up to date.
The NCDC also intends to place extra laboratory reagents and supplies throughout the national laboratory network to support testing for Ebola virus disease.
Laboratory capacity is an essential part of the response, since suspected cases must be investigated quickly and confirmed through proper testing before public health authorities can decide on case management.
The government is likewise reinforcing infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities to lower the risk of transmission to health workers, patients, and others who may come into contact with suspected cases.
The report said infection prevention and control capacity assessments had been carried out across states and health facilities and that the facility currently treating the patient had been engaged on suitable guidelines and standard operating procedures.
The measures include standard precautions as well as the additional precautions needed when managing suspected or confirmed Ebola infections.
The next phase will involve rolling out an infection prevention and control ring strategy across designated perimeters to reinforce screening and isolation measures.
The report specifically mentioned the planned rollout of the “IPC ring strategy across concentric perimeters to strengthen screening and isolation measures.”
The NCDC is likewise striving to strengthen the capacity of healthcare personnel through training and sensitization, especially in facilities that may be called upon to detect, stabilize, or refer suspected cases.
Idris had recognized the need to bolster infection prevention and control expertise at subnational levels, pointing out that states and local health facilities required better capacity to respond effectively to infectious disease emergencies.
“When our infection prevention and control teams visit a facility, they assess the systems in place and identify areas that need to be corrected,” he said.
He further stated that the agency was continuing to train healthcare personnel in order to enhance their competence in infection prevention and control.
“Capabilities and competencies at the subnational level are not as high as they should be. We are responsible for building those capabilities. That is why training is one of our most important priorities,” Idris said.
The situation report stated that the national stockpile of personal protective equipment and other essential supplies had been expanded in preparation for a possible scaling up of the response. ↻
It noted that 500 donated laboratory testing kits had been added to the stockpile and that additional protective equipment and essential commodities would be deployed to high-risk states.
The government is also stepping up surveillance at airports and other points of entry.
According to the report, Port Health Services had carried out an in-depth investigation alongside aviation stakeholders to support the response, and enhanced surveillance at all points of entry would be maintained.
The next phase involves strengthening preparedness and readiness in high-risk states, setting up referral mechanisms for suspected cases, and identifying treatment facilities able to respond to potential cases outside the FCT.
In addition, the NCDC is continuing public communication and community engagement efforts, including monitoring public discussions about Ebola to spot misinformation and address concerns.
The report said the agency had issued public advisories on preventive measures and carried out social listening to generate insights for managing misinformation. It listed sustained, proactive two-way communication across platforms among the next steps.
It called on Nigerians to rely on official information, refrain from spreading rumors, and cooperate with health officials conducting contact tracing.
The confirmed case concerns a woman who travelled to Nigeria after visiting Uganda, following a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Based on information previously provided by health authorities, she began showing symptoms on October 7, sought medical care in Abuja on October 11, and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus on October 20.
The World Health Organization has said investigations are ongoing to determine the likely source of the infection.
The Bundibugyo strain is one of the Ebola virus species linked to outbreaks in parts of Central and East Africa. Identifying it has underlined the importance of regional surveillance, timely laboratory diagnosis, and coordination among countries responding to the disease.
The NCDC situation report said the national incident management system had been activated, with the Incident Action Plan guiding activities in coordination, surveillance, laboratory services, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication, logistics, and port health.
The government has also urged sustained coordination among federal and state authorities, healthcare facilities, and response partners so that suspected cases can be identified and handled promptly.
The WHO has repeatedly stressed that early detection, isolation, contact tracing, and infection prevention and control are vital to containing Ebola outbreaks.
Nigeria has prior experience in responding to the disease. During the 2014 outbreak, the country halted transmission through rapid case identification, isolation, contact tracing, and coordinated public health interventions.
The current response is building on those lessons, with health authorities aiming to improve isolation readiness, bolster laboratory capacity, and ensure that states can provide suitable facilities and resources should additional cases be identified.
The NCDC advised Nigerians to stay calm while continuing to follow preventive measures, such as washing hands regularly and avoiding direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of people suspected of having Ebola.
The agency emphasized that the virus is transmitted through direct contact with the blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected people or animals, as well as through contaminated materials.
The agency cautioned against stigmatizing people who are being monitored, emphasizing that working with public health authorities is essential to prevent further spread of the virus.
