Amid concerns over the resurgence of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in parts of Africa, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has appealed to governors across the 36 states to provide adequate funding for their health workers as part of measures to prevent the virus from entering Nigeria.

Following the development, Oyo State Government assured residents of its preparedness to prevent, detect and respond effectively to any potential outbreak of EVD.

Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, made the appeal yesterday at the third edition of the Adetokunbo Alakija Memorial Lecture and induction of new members into the Nigerian Society of Travel Medicine (NSTM), in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Idris said while the Federal Government had continued to implement measures to ensure that Ebola did not spread into the country, state governments needed to do more in capacity building and funding interventions aimed at preventing the spread of the disease.

He noted that some of the measures already in place included strengthened monitoring and prevention efforts at airports, as well as contact tracing where necessary.

Idris said: “The idea is to prevent any case from entering the country, and this is one of the most practical ways to achieve that. Other government agencies are also collaborating, particularly in Lagos and at airport points of entry. Similar measures have been established at other international airports across the country.

“There is a need to support health workers across the states because they are key stakeholders in this response. The NCDC cannot carry the burden alone. State governments need to fund their personnel and provide the necessary infrastructure. We are engaging with them through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and urging commissioners to push for stronger health sector support in their respective states. Some states are already making progress, but more advocacy is needed to ensure broader commitment.”

Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the NSTM, Dr Patrick Chukwuma, said the realisation that most viruses and diseases are spread through travel informed the establishment of the association.

In his remarks, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the state recognised its vulnerability to disease due to the volume of air travel activities daily.

In her keynote entitled, ‘From Prevention to Protection: Integrating HIV into Nigeria’s Travel Health Architecture’, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, noted that Nigeria remained a country of concern in Africa’s HIV response.

She said, although significant progress had been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, “mobility can interrupt prevention, testing and treatment access for migrants, traders, transport workers, students, pilgrims and returning residents.”
THE assurance from Oyo government came yesterday as health authorities confirmed that no case of Ebola had been recorded in the state or anywhere in the country.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr OluwaserimiAjetunmobi, said the state was closely monitoring global and regional developments, particularly recent outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, while strengthening its public health systems to ensure early detection and rapid response.

According to a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, DotunOyelade, in Ibadan, the Governor Seyi Makinde administration has activated key preparedness mechanisms across all levels of the state’s health system.

Ajetunmobi said surveillance activities had been intensified across the 33 local councils of the state, with health facilities placed on heightened alert to promptly identify and report suspected cases.

Residents were urged to remain calm, observe hygiene practices, and support ongoing public health efforts to prevent potential outbreaks in the state.