By Chiimezie Godfrey
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 potential outbreak.
The emergency intervention fund is expected to bolster the operational capacity of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical public health response activities across the country.
The newly established Presidential Task Force on Ebola will be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as representatives of state governments.
The decision follows concerns over the recent resurgence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, raising fears of possible cross-border transmission into Nigeria.
According to a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the President’s approval came after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting chaired by the Chief of Staff to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies to prevent the importation of the disease.
Participants at the meeting included representatives of 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 key institutions involved in border management and public health surveillance.
As part of the emergency measures, President Tinubu directed all states hosting international airports and border corridors, along with relevant MDAs, to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for coordinated implementation.
The Task Force has also been mandated to intensify passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and improved crowd-control measures.
Authorities will strengthen surveillance of passengers arriving through identified high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, RwandAir, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.
In addition, referral and isolation centres are to be activated immediately at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja, with similar facilities to be established at other airports nationwide.
Other measures approved by the President include the mandatory use of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers arriving from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the routine disinfection of departure halls, cargo handling areas, baggage sections and other airport facilities.
President Tinubu further directed the advisory group to engage security, diplomatic and aviation authorities on possible regulations affecting flights originating from affected countries and other designated high-risk locations.
The Task Force is also expected to identify specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to facilitate controlled screening and isolation procedures, while considering flight scheduling adjustments aimed at reducing contact between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
The latest intervention underscores the Federal Government’s determination to strengthen disease surveillance and public health preparedness in response to emerging global health threats.
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