Ebola: Anambra strengthens preparedness amid regional outbreak concerns

The Anambra Government has restated its commitment to strengthening preparedness and response measures against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) amid concerns about reported outbreaks in parts of Africa.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, said this at a stakeholders’ meeting on Ebola preparedness held on Wednesday in Awka.

Obidike called for increased vigilance and public awareness, urging residents to stay informed about Ebola prevention measures and promptly report any suspected cases to relevant health authorities.

He said public cooperation remained critical to preventing the spread of the disease and urged residents to remain alert and comply with recommended preventive guidelines issued by health authorities.

“Awareness creation and early reporting of suspected cases are vital components of an effective Ebola response strategy.

“This meeting will assess the state’s capacity to respond swiftly and effectively in the event of an outbreak, as well as review existing response structures and identify areas requiring improvement,” he said.

Obidike assured participants that the state government would continue to collaborate with development partners and relevant agencies to strengthen preparedness measures and safeguard residents from potential threats.

He said the state’s preparedness efforts aligned with ongoing national initiatives coordinated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to enhance Ebola readiness across the country.

“Under the national preparedness framework, states are expected to designate isolation and treatment centres, appoint preparedness focal persons and assess existing response capacities.

“States are required to implement a minimum package of Ebola readiness measures within the next two weeks, while establishing a weekly monitoring and reporting system with NCDC,” he said.

The commissioner said the monitoring framework would help track progress, identify gaps and support timely interventions needed to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response capacity.

During discussions, stakeholders identified priority areas requiring urgent attention, including disease surveillance, alert management, laboratory preparedness, case management, infection prevention and control measures.

They also highlighted the need to strengthen risk communication and community engagement, logistics and commodity readiness, surveillance at points of entry and continuity of essential health services.

The stakeholders also emphasised the importance of research, inter-agency collaboration and sustained investment in public health systems to strengthen the state’s capacity to respond effectively to disease outbreaks.