By our Reporter
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 announcement was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The emergency intervention fund is aimed at enhancing the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and supporting critical public health emergency response activities across the country.
The Presidential 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 comes amid renewed concerns over the resurgence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, raising fears of possible cross-border transmission.
President Tinubu’s approval followed a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Chief of Staff to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies to prevent the importation of the disease into the country.
The meeting was attended by 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 agencies.
As part of measures to strengthen national preparedness, the President directed all states with international airports and border corridors, as well as relevant MDAs, to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for coordinated implementation.
The Task Force is expected to immediately intensify passenger screening at international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control measures. It will also strengthen monitoring of passengers arriving on routes considered high-risk, including flights operated by Air Uganda, RwandAir, Air Tanzania, TAAG Angola Airlines, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.
The Federal Government also ordered the activation of referral and isolation centres at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja, with similar facilities to be established at other airports nationwide.
In addition, authorities will implement mandatory QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries. Airport departure halls, cargo facilities, baggage handling areas and other critical infrastructure will also undergo routine disinfection as precautionary measures.
President Tinubu further directed the advisory group to work closely with security, diplomatic and aviation authorities to review and regulate flights from affected and designated high-risk countries where necessary.
The Task Force has also been mandated to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to facilitate controlled screening and isolation procedures, while considering adjustments to flight schedules to minimise contact between high-risk travellers and other passengers.
The measures form part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to prevent the entry and spread of Ebola and strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to emerging public health threats.
