Nigeria has intensified its Ebola preparedness efforts with a new task force and emergency funding.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the creation of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola. Also approved was the release of a ₦10 billion emergency intervention fund to strengthen the country’s response to potential outbreaks.
The task force will be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila and will include representatives from key ministries, departments, agencies and state governments. Its mandate is to coordinate national preparedness, surveillance and response measures.
As part of the new directives, the government has ordered stricter airport screening procedures, enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk routes, and the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja.
Additional measures include mandatory QR code-based health declarations for travellers from designated high-risk countries and environmental disinfection of airport facilities. Also included are consultations with aviation, diplomatic and security agencies on possible flight regulations.
The task force will also assess the use of designated terminals or airports for high-risk flights. It will also review scheduling adjustments to reduce contact between potentially exposed passengers and other travellers.
The federal government says the measures are aimed at preventing the entry and spread of Ebola.
