By Omodele Adigun
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has announced that two recent suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever in Abuja tested negative for both Ebola and Marburg viruses.
In a statement by Jide Idris, the Director-General of the NCDC, on Friday, it is on high alert over the Ebola scare in the country.
Idris stated that the most recent case involved a traveller who arrived in Abuja from Kigali and promptly sought medical care when he began to feel unwell.
“The decision to report early, combined with the vigilance of the attending clinician and hospital team, ensured that our public health system was promptly activated and that the risk to the public was minimised,” Dr. Idris said.
“This responsible action is highly commendable and a good practice all Nigerians are urged to emulate; when you feel unwell, especially after travel, seek care early. Doing so protects you, your family, and your community.
The NCDC commended clinicians and staff of Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, for their swift action and high index of suspicion, which triggered a rapid and coordinated response.
Idris also praised the FCT Epidemiology and Rapid Response Teams, Port Health Services, the National Reference Laboratory, airline and immigration authorities, and other stakeholders for their prompt collaboration, describing it as a demonstration of Nigeria’s growing preparedness capacity.
“We deeply commend the clinicians and staff at the Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, whose high index of suspicion and immediate reporting triggered a rapid, coordinated response. We also recognise the FCT Epidemiology and Rapid Response Teams, the Port Health Services, the National Reference Laboratory, airline and immigration partners, and other stakeholders whose swift collaboration with NCDC demonstrates the strength of Nigeria’s preparedness system. Together, their actions exemplify how vigilance and teamwork prevent potential public-health emergencies,” the agency stated.
He noted that the NCDC had carried out a Dynamic Risk Assessment in response to recent reports of Ebola in other countries and had stepped up nationwide anticipatory measures.
According to him, surveillance has been strengthened at points of entry, isolation and treatment facilities have been placed on alert, and critical infection-prevention supplies prepositioned.
