Nigeria Strengthens Ebola Preparedness Amid Outbreak Risks

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced on Saturday that Nigeria is intensifying nationwide surveillance and emergency preparedness measures against Ebola virus disease due to an ongoing outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Director General Jide Idris stated that while Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed cases linked to the outbreak, the risk of importation remains high due to international travel and population movement.

The NCDC's latest risk assessment identified border communities and major transport hubs as high-risk areas requiring enhanced monitoring. The agency has activated its national incident management system and placed its emergency operations center on alert.

Rapid response teams are on standby for possible deployment, and public health agencies are coordinating efforts to improve national readiness. The NCDC is also distributing an Ebola preparedness tool checklist to healthcare facilities and enhancing training for health workers on infection prevention protocols.

The agency warns against misinformation and is intensifying public awareness campaigns regarding Ebola.