Segun Atanda/
President Bola 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 possible outbreak of the deadly disease.
The Presidency announced today that the emergency intervention fund would be used to enhance the operational capacity of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical public health emergency response activities nationwide.
The newly constituted Presidential Task Force will be chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and will comprise representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state governments.
The move follows renewed concerns over the resurgence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, raising fears of a possible cross-border spread to other African countries.
President Tinubu’s approval came after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by Gbajabiamila to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies to prevent the importation of the virus.
The meeting was attended by representatives of key institutions, including 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 relevant agencies.
As part of the preventive measures, the President directed all states hosting 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 has been mandated to intensify passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.
Authorities will also increase surveillance of passengers arriving through routes considered high-risk, including flights operated by 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 across the country.
The Presidency said passengers travelling from or transiting through designated high-risk countries would be required to complete QR code-based pre-arrival health declarations.
Other measures include the disinfection of departure halls, cargo sections, baggage handling areas and airport facilities as precautionary environmental safeguards.
President Tinubu further directed the advisory group to engage security, diplomatic and aviation authorities on the regulation of flights from affected and high-risk countries.
The Task Force is also expected 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 Presidency said the measures are aimed at safeguarding public health and ensuring that Nigeria remains fully prepared to respond swiftly to any emerging threat posed by Ebola and other infectious diseases.
Click on link to join NewsmakersNG WhatsApp channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaH43zJGJP88wNggvZ16
