Ebola Threat: Nigeria only 59% prepared — NCDC DG

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Jide Idris, has disclosed that Nigeria is only 59 per cent prepared for a potential Ebola outbreak, even as health authorities intensify surveillance and strengthen entry protocols to prevent the importation of the deadly virus.

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The warning comes amid renewed concerns over recent Ebola outbreaks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which the NCDC says pose a significant risk to Nigeria due to increasing international travel and cross-border movement.

Speaking on Arise Television on Monday, Idris said a recent nationwide risk assessment conducted by the agency revealed critical gaps in the country’s preparedness, especially at points of entry.

According to him, the assessment was designed to evaluate Nigeria’s level of readiness, identify vulnerabilities, and strengthen response systems against any potential importation of the Ebola virus.

“Our latest assessment puts Nigeria’s preparedness level at about 59 per cent. But preparedness is dynamic; you can never be 100 per cent prepared because situations keep changing,” Idris said.

“To be frank, we are not fully ready, but we are continuously improving our readiness. This preparedness must cover the entire country, not just a few locations.”

The NCDC boss said the agency has deployed teams across states to assess preparedness levels and provide guidance to health authorities on areas requiring urgent improvement.

He explained that the assessment focused on key areas including isolation centres, emergency operations centres, healthcare infrastructure, and emergency stockpiles needed to manage suspected Ebola cases.

“We sent advisers to work with state commissioners and assess their level of preparedness. We are looking at infrastructure, isolation facilities, emergency operations centres, and available stockpiles in the event of an outbreak,” he said.

Idris revealed that one of the most significant findings from the assessment was the vulnerability of Nigeria’s entry points, prompting the Federal Ministry of Health to introduce new protocols for agencies involved in border and airport operations.

He said the objective is to improve screening and monitoring systems to prevent infected individuals from entering the country.

“We carried out a dynamic risk assessment to determine where we are, what gaps exist, and what actions are required. One area that clearly stood out was our points of entry, which are critical because our primary objective is to prevent the disease from entering Nigeria,” he said.

“Shortly after the assessment, the Federal Ministry of Health released protocols for various government agencies. The goal is to regulate incoming traffic, especially through airlines and international travel routes.”

According to him, states with international airports have been classified as high-risk areas because they serve as major entry points into Nigeria.

Despite efforts to strengthen airport surveillance, Idris warned that Nigeria’s extensive and porous land borders remain a major challenge to disease prevention efforts.

He noted that many travellers enter the country through unofficial routes, making effective monitoring difficult.

“The biggest challenge remains our porous borders. Not everyone enters Nigeria by air. Many people travel across borders by road and through informal routes. This is one of the major concerns and why preparedness is so important,” he stated.