Tinubu Approves N10bn Ebola Preparedness Fund
KEY POINTS
• Tinubu releases N10bn to strengthen Ebola preparedness
• Presidential task force established to coordinate response efforts
• Airports and border points to enforce tighter screening measures
President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate release of N10 billion to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against Ebola and other emerging public health threats, following renewed outbreaks of the virus in parts of East and Central Africa.
The President also approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats to coordinate the country’s response and prevention efforts.
The intervention comes amid concerns over recent Ebola outbreaks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), both of which have recorded confirmed cases and fatalities.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the emergency funding will be used to strengthen the operational readiness of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical public health response activities nationwide.
The approval followed a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened to assess Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies to prevent the importation of the virus into the country.
Gbajabiamila to Head Presidential Task Force
The newly established Presidential Task Force will be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President.
Membership of the task force will include representatives from key ministries, departments and agencies, as well as state government officials and other relevant stakeholders.
Participants at the preparedness meeting included representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Lagos State Government and other agencies involved in border and public health management.
As part of the preventive measures, the task force has been directed to intensify passenger screening at all international airports.
Authorities will implement enhanced temperature checks, crowd-control measures and increased monitoring of travellers arriving through routes considered high-risk.
Airlines and routes under special monitoring include those connected to Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Angola, Kenya and Ethiopia.
The government also plans to activate referral and isolation centres at Lagos and Abuja international airports, with similar facilities to be established at other airports across the country.
The task force has been directed to enforce the use of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers travelling from or transiting through designated high-risk countries.
Additional measures include the routine disinfection of airport terminals, baggage handling areas, cargo facilities and departure halls as precautionary steps.
The government is also expected to consult aviation, diplomatic and security agencies on possible restrictions and operational adjustments involving flights from affected regions.