Nigeria Boosts Health Surveillance as Ebola Risk Prompts Border Checks

Nigeria Boosts Health Surveillance as Ebola Risk Prompts Border Checks

The Federal Government has intensified health screening at airports, seaports, and land borders across Nigeria following renewed concerns over the spread of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in parts of East and Central Africa.

Authorities say the strengthened measures are part of a national public health emergency preparedness plan designed to prevent the importation of the virus into Nigeria. Travellers identified as high-risk or showing symptoms consistent with Ebola or other viral haemorrhagic fevers will now undergo secondary screening, isolation, and referral for further medical assessment. The development comes amid reports of a fresh outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus in parts of Africa, prompting increased surveillance across countries with high travel connectivity.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through its Assistant Director of Press and Public Relations, Ado Bako, the government confirmed that there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria. However, the ministry said Nigeria has activated enhanced nationwide preparedness systems to strengthen disease surveillance, early warning detection, and emergency response capacity in line with global health security standards. It added that all points of entry have been placed under stricter monitoring, with health officials directed to intensify screening and risk assessment for incoming travellers.

As part of the new protocols, authorities have introduced mandatory temperature checks using infrared thermal scanners and handheld devices, completion of health declaration forms, and detailed travel history assessments for passengers arriving in Nigeria. Officials also confirmed the activation of enhanced risk profiling systems at designated entry points to identify passengers coming from affected regions or presenting potential symptoms of infection. The ministry said these steps include strengthened secondary screening procedures, as well as isolation and referral mechanisms for suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fevers.

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Nigeria’s Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system has also been reinforced, with expanded community-based surveillance networks and improved event-based reporting across the country. The Federal Government further disclosed that Public Health Emergency Operations Centres have been activated, while Rapid Response Teams at national and sub-national levels have been placed on standby to respond to any suspected outbreak. Hospitals and health facilities nationwide have been directed to strengthen infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, improve triage systems, and ensure immediate reporting of suspected cases.

The Ministry of Health urged Nigerians not to panic, stressing that all measures are preventive and aimed at safeguarding national health security. Citizens were advised to maintain good hygiene practices such as regular handwashing, avoid contact with bodily fluids of sick individuals, and refrain from handling bushmeat from unknown sources. The public was also encouraged to report unusual illnesses or deaths to health authorities promptly.

The renewed alert follows reports of an Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo strain in parts of East and Central Africa. Health officials say the outbreak has triggered heightened vigilance across the continent due to the risk of cross-border transmission. Nigeria, which successfully contained the 2014 Ebola outbreak, continues to rely on strengthened emergency preparedness systems built from that experience.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has raised concerns over what it described as a critical funding crisis affecting the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). Lawmakers warned that inadequate funding and delayed budget releases could weaken Nigeria’s ability to respond effectively to outbreaks such as Ebola and other infectious diseases. They said key areas including laboratory services, surveillance systems, logistics, and emergency response operations are already under pressure due to financial constraints. The House also called for urgent release of appropriated funds, intensified cross-border surveillance, and strict monitoring of NCDC resource utilisation to strengthen national health preparedness.

Nigeria previously earned global recognition for its swift containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, a success experts say must be sustained through consistent investment in public health surveillance and emergency response systems.

Nigeria Boosts Health Surveillance as Ebola Risk Prompts Border Checks