The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has activated heightened surveillance and screening measures at all points of entry into Nigeria following an Ebola outbreak in central Africa. The move targets the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, with enhanced checks now in place at land borders, airports, and seaports. Though Nigeria has no confirmed cases, the ministry confirmed that infrared thermal scanners, health declaration forms, and travel history assessments are being used on incoming travellers. Those flagged as high-risk or showing symptoms of viral haemorrhagic fevers will undergo secondary screening, isolation, and referral.
Assistant Director of Press and Public Relations, Ado Bako, stated the measures align with the government's commitment to preventing cross-border disease transmission. The World Health Organization reported 116 suspected cases in central Africa as of Tuesday, down from over 900, with 330 confirmed cases. Of these, 321 are in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including 48 deaths, and nine confirmed cases in Uganda, with one fatality. The outbreak was declared on May 15 in Ituri province, DRC.
Public Health Emergency Operations Centres have been activated, and Rapid Response Teams at national and sub-national levels are on standby. Healthcare facilities across Nigeria have been directed to strengthen infection prevention protocols, improve triage systems, and report suspected cases promptly. The ministry urged the public to practice hand hygiene, avoid contact with bodily fluids, and refrain from handling dead animals or bushmeat from unknown sources.
The same ministry that struggled to contain past disease outbreaks is now urging vigilance while relying on systems previously deemed weak during emergencies. Nigerians in border communities and major cities will bear the real test if a case slips through screening. The gap between alert statements and on-ground health capacity remains unaddressed.
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