By Jane Okafor, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and authorised the immediate release of N10 billion to strengthen Nigeria’s readiness against a possible outbreak.
The intervention fund is aimed at enhancing the operational capacity of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and supporting critical public health emergency response measures across the country.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the task force will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and will comprise representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as state governments.
The development follows recent reports of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, raising concerns over the risk of cross-border transmission within the region.
President Tinubu’s approval came after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Chief of Staff to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and formulate strategies to prevent the importation of the deadly virus.
The meeting brought together key officials from the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Lagos State Government and other relevant agencies.
As part of the emergency measures, the President directed all states with international airports and border corridors to submit their preparedness plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for coordinated implementation.
The task force has also been mandated to intensify passenger screening at international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.
Authorities will increase surveillance of passengers arriving on high-risk routes, including flights operated by Air Uganda, RwandAir, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.
In addition, referral and isolation centres at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja are to be activated immediately, while similar facilities will be established at other airports nationwide.
The Federal Government will also implement mandatory QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for travellers arriving from or transiting through designated high-risk countries.
Airport departure halls, baggage handling areas, cargo facilities and other critical infrastructure will undergo routine disinfection as a preventive measure.
President Tinubu further directed the advisory group to engage security, diplomatic and aviation authorities on possible regulations affecting flights from affected and high-risk countries.
The task force is expected to consider the designation of specific terminals or airports for high-risk flights to facilitate controlled screening and isolation procedures. It may also recommend adjustments to flight schedules to reduce interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
The latest measures underscore the Federal Government’s determination to prevent a repeat of past public health emergencies and strengthen national preparedness against emerging disease threats.
