Nigeria Confirms First Ebola Case in 24 Hours, Says Minister

Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Ebola on October 3, involving a woman who arrived from Uganda. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, stated that months of preparation allowed health authorities to confirm the case within 24 hours.

The government enhanced disease surveillance, expanded laboratory capacity, trained health workers, and assessed state readiness prior to the detection. This swift response included notifying the World Health Organisation as mandated by the International Health Regulations.

The patient, who is the wife of a diplomat, developed symptoms three days after returning to Nigeria. She is currently receiving treatment in isolation at a private hospital in the Federal Capital Territory.

Pate emphasized that this response builds on Nigeria's experience from managing past public health emergencies, including the 2014 Ebola outbreak and ongoing polio eradication efforts.