The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Jide Idris, has admitted that Nigeria is not fully prepared for a possible Ebola outbreak but insisted that the country can still contain the deadly virus if it enters the nation.
Addressing a press briefing in Lagos amid growing concerns over the Ebola outbreak in parts of East Africa, Idris acknowledged that preparedness levels are not at 100 percent but said existing mechanisms are strong enough to stop transmission.
“We cannot be 100 percent prepared. It is not possible, not even America can claim that,” Idris said. “But let me be frank with you: if Ebola comes into Nigeria, we will stop it with the current knowledge and systems we have now.”
The NCDC boss said Nigeria has classified the risk of Ebola importation as high due to increasing international travel, population movement, and the country’s porous borders. He stated that the Federal Government has intensified surveillance and emergency preparedness measures nationwide, particularly at international airports and border entry points. “For Nigeria, our main focus is on points of entry. What we have done is strengthen surveillance at these points,” he said.
Idris disclosed that surveillance systems are currently active at the country’s five international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt, with port health officials, aviation agencies, immigration officers, and state governments working together to monitor travelers. He explained that passengers from high-risk countries are subjected to screening procedures and mandatory health declaration forms before boarding flights to Nigeria.
“The idea is not to allow the disease to enter the country in the first place,” he said. The NCDC director-general acknowledged major challenges, including a shortage of health workers and limited laboratory capacity. “Yes, we have a shortage of health workers. The shortage is affecting NCDC,” he admitted.
He also revealed that only a few laboratories in Nigeria currently have the capacity to test for Ebola due to high costs. “The laboratories are expensive, maintaining them is expensive, and training the right personnel is also expensive. That is why the system has been tiered,” he explained.
Idris stressed that infection prevention and control remain among the strongest weapons against Ebola transmission. “If all of us adopt proper hygiene practices, hospitals become safer for everyone,” he said.
He also appealed to the media and the public not to spread fear through unverified information. “But I beg of you, do not stampede people with all these negative thoughts. When we start creating doubts and fear among our people, we are putting ourselves in danger,” he cautioned.
Idris assured Nigerians that the NCDC would remain transparent about any confirmed cases. “We will not deny anything. We will not hide anything from Nigerians. If Ebola comes and it is Ebola, we will say it openly,” he said.
He noted that the country has learned valuable lessons from the successful containment of Ebola in 2014. “We are not denying our weaknesses. We know there are gaps. But preparedness is a continuous process,” Idris stated.
He stressed that preparedness is a shared responsibility. “Preparedness is everybody’s responsibility. The problem is not only with the NCDC. It concerns everybody, including the public,” he said.
While assuring Nigerians that there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in the country, Idris warned that vigilance must remain high. “We are hopeful that Ebola will not come into Nigeria. But if it does, we are ready to respond and contain it,” he said.
