ABUJA — The Federal Government is planning to identify and equip Ebola treatment centers in states with designated ports of entry as the number of people linked to Nigeria’s confirmed case rises to 53.
The move is part of efforts to strengthen the country’s preparedness and prevent further transmission of the virus, with health authorities assessing isolation facilities, improving surveillance and establishing referral systems for suspected cases.
According to the latest Ebola situation report, the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital has undergone a needs assessment and optimization for isolation and treatment. Authorities are also planning an infection prevention and control assessment at Karu General Hospital in Abuja to determine its capacity to accommodate additional patients if necessary.
The report said treatment facilities in states with designated ports of entry would be identified and strengthened to ensure suspected cases could be detected, isolated and transferred promptly to appropriate treatment centers.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is also working to strengthen surveillance at airports and other points of entry, improve laboratory testing capacity and ensure that essential medical supplies are available in high-risk states.
The number of identified contacts has increased from the initial 44 to 53. Health authorities said 44 of the contacts were linked to the health facility where the patient received treatment, while the remaining nine included household members and people who attended to her during an earlier emergency-room visit.
Contact tracing and daily monitoring are continuing, with officials also identifying secondary contacts who may have been exposed through those already under surveillance.
The NCDC said one contact who reported feeling unwell had tested negative for Ebola, while no contacts had tested positive as of the October 24 situation report.
As part of measures to support people placed under isolation or quarantine, NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed that the agency was providing ₦100,000 per person weekly to cover feeding, accommodation and other essential needs.
Idris said the intervention followed complaints from contacts about the financial burden of isolation, particularly the difficulty of providing for family members while complying with public health requirements.
The agency is also strengthening infection prevention and control measures in health facilities, training healthcare workers and increasing stocks of personal protective equipment and laboratory supplies.
Nigeria’s confirmed case involves a 42-year-old woman who returned from Uganda through Addis Ababa on October 3. She developed symptoms on October 7, sought medical attention in Abuja and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola on October 20.
The patient remains in isolation and was reported to have improved, according to the NCDC’s October 24 situation report.
Health authorities have urged Nigerians to remain calm, follow official public health guidance and avoid spreading misinformation. They have also advised people to report symptoms suggestive of Ebola, especially where there has been possible exposure, and to cooperate with contact-tracing teams.
The Federal Government is coordinating the response through the NCDC and other relevant agencies, with state governments expected to strengthen their preparedness in case additional infections are detected.