President Bola Tinubu has approved the creation of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, along with the release of N10 billion for emergency measures.
The task force, chaired by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, will coordinate efforts across ministries, departments, agencies and state governments. It follows a stakeholders’ meeting to assess Nigeria’s readiness amid Ebola resurgence reports in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Measures include enhanced temperature screening at airports, QR code health declarations for high-risk travellers and activation of isolation centres at Lagos and Abuja airports. Flights operated by Air Uganda, RwandAir, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines will face increased monitoring. States hosting international airports must submit preparedness plans. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention will receive support to strengthen nationwide response capacity.
