Nigeria doubles down on prevention as zero cases hold, vowing to lead Africa’s epidemic response
The Federal Government has inaugurated a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease preparedness, reaffirming its commitment to maintaining Nigeria’s zero-case status while positioning the country as Africa’s frontrunner in epidemic response.
Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, who chairs the task force, declared at Thursday’s State House inauguration that Nigeria’s strategy prioritises prevention over cure learning hard lessons from the 2014 outbreak when a single carrier sparked a national scramble.
“Today, we have covered a lot of ground and established structures to address any potential threat,” Gbajabiamila said. “We will not follow; we will lead.”
Key measures being implemented:
· Sub-committees established on border management, immigration control, and disease surveillance
· Enhanced collaboration with states hosting international airports (Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Enugu, FCT)
· Border communities now integrated with immigration services and the Border Management Agency
· NCDC providing overall technical leadership and coordination
The task force aims to build permanent structures so that future outbreaks won’t catch Nigeria off guard.
“We do not want a repeat of what happened during the last outbreak,” Gbajabiamila emphasised. “We want to put in place permanent arrangements so that in two or three years, we will not be running from pillar to post.”
The inauguration drew key officials including Ministers of Information and Interior, NCDC Director General Dr Jide Idris, FAAN CEO Olubunmi Kuku, WHO Representative Dr Pavel Ursu, and health commissioners from Lagos, Rivers, Enugu, and the FCT.
