Nigeria's Health Minister Orders Ebola Preparedness in 15 States

The Federal Government of Nigeria has raised concerns regarding the preparedness of 15 states to respond to Ebola, following the confirmation of an imported case in the Federal Capital Territory. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, announced that hospitals nationwide must establish isolation capacity and strengthen infection prevention measures.

He indicated that 21 states had updated their Ebola emergency response plans, while the remaining 15 were urged to accelerate their preparations. During a briefing in Abuja and at the National Economic Council meeting, Pate emphasized the importance of early detection and rapid reporting to prevent community transmission.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has activated its incident management system in collaboration with FCT authorities and international health organizations. Pate also mentioned the need for private hospitals to be involved in disease surveillance and announced additional funding for the NCDC to support investigations and viral sequencing.