Medical Expert Calls for Universal Ebola Tracking in Nigeria

Professor Oladapo Ashiru, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, has urged for mandatory Ebola contact tracing for all travelers in Nigeria, regardless of their political or social status. Speaking in an interview with ARISE News, he warned that exempting influential individuals from airport screening could undermine containment efforts.

Ashiru emphasized the need for universal contact tracing due to Ebola's incubation period of 2 to 21 days, advocating for temperature scanners at airports. He proposed a 21-day monitoring period for potentially exposed travelers to determine when they are safe.

Additionally, he called for permanent public health surveillance systems across Nigeria's 774 local government areas, criticizing the lack of sustained infrastructure from previous outbreaks. Ashiru described a reported Ebola case in Abuja as serious but manageable, stressing that the country's response will determine the outcome.

He commended authorities for identifying the case but warned that failure to isolate the infection could worsen the situation.