Bukola Afeni
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has assured Nigerians that there is no cause for panic over the resurgence of Ebola in parts of Africa, insisting that the country has strengthened its capacity to prevent and contain any possible outbreak.
Head of Health Emergency Preparedness at the NCDC, Dr. Biodun Ogunniyi, said Nigeria’s public health system has significantly improved since the country successfully contained the deadly virus in 2014.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Ogunniyi urged citizens not to panic, stressing that the government already has surveillance and response mechanisms in place.
“There is no need to panic because fear kills more than death itself,” Ogunniyi said while addressing concerns over the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola currently affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He noted that Nigeria’s experience during the 2014 Ebola outbreak has helped improve the nation’s public health response system.
“Let’s not forget Nigeria has been tested before with Ebola in 2014, and in less than 70 days, the country was able to wipe this virus out,” he stated.
According to him, Nigeria now has stronger laboratory and surveillance systems compared to what was obtainable over a decade ago.
He acknowledged that Nigeria remains at risk because of international travel through major airports in Abuja and Lagos but maintained that health authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
The NCDC official disclosed that disease surveillance officers and health promotion personnel have been deployed across the 774 local government areas to track and report suspected infections.
He added that protocols have also been activated at airports for travellers arriving from affected countries, including health screening procedures and the collection of contact information for follow-up monitoring.
Ogunniyi, however, clarified that there are currently no international travel restrictions related to the outbreak, noting that travellers without symptoms cannot be detained under existing global health regulations.
