Nigerian medical scientists have called for emergency border surveillance and rapid response measures following fresh Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, warning that Nigeria faces a serious risk of cross-border transmission.
The Academy of Medical Sciences, Nigeria, urged the Federal Government to immediately strengthen monitoring at airports, seaports and land borders to prevent the deadly virus from entering the country.
In a public health advisory signed by the Chairman of the Rapid Response Committee, Prof. Obinna Onwujekwe, and Academy President Emeritus Prof. Osato Giwa-Osagie, the experts warned that “the recent outbreaks in DRC and Uganda present a credible risk of cross-border transmission into Nigeria due to regional mobility, trade and travel.”
The scientists said Nigeria’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014 should not lead to complacency.
“The recurrence of outbreaks within the African continent underscores the continued vulnerability of all nations to transboundary infectious diseases,” the advisory stated.
They recommended “rapid screening systems for travellers arriving from affected regions,” including temperature checks, exposure-history assessments and emergency isolation centres at entry points.
The Academy also urged the activation of the National Ebola Incident Management System involving the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, port health authorities and state governments.
The warning follows the World Health Organization’s declaration of the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda as a global public health emergency after more than 300 suspected cases and dozens of deaths were reported.
The experts further warned that healthcare workers remain among the most vulnerable during outbreaks and called for adequate protective equipment and emergency preparedness training nationwide.
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