NCDC urges governors to boost Ebola prevention funding

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has called on governors across Nigeria’s 36 states to boost funding for health workers and infrastructure to prevent the Ebola virus from entering the country. Director-General Dr Jide Idris warned that while federal measures, such as airport monitoring and contact tracing, are in place, state governments must take greater responsibility for local preparedness. Speaking at the 3rd Adetokunbo Alakija Memorial Lecture in Lagos, Idris stressed that the NCDC cannot bear the burden alone and urged governors to support health workers through the Governors’ Forum. Some states have already made progress, but broader funding and advocacy are needed to strengthen Nigeria’s defenses against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, acknowledged the state’s vulnerability due to high air travel activity and confirmed collaboration with airport officials to enforce preventive measures. The state is also advancing legislation to make health insurance mandatory for residents, aiming to improve overall public health resilience. The Nigerian Society of Travel Medicine (NSTM) emphasized the critical role of travel history in disease prevention, noting that viruses like Ebola and COVID-19 often spread through travel. Chairman Dr Patrick Chukwuma urged newly inducted members to routinely assess patients’ travel histories, comparing it to checking vital signs in medical practice. In her keynote lecture, National Agency for the Control of AIDS Director-General Dr Temitope Ilori highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing challenges in HIV prevention, particularly for mobile populations like traders and students. She noted that mobility disrupts access to testing and treatment, reinforcing the need for integrated travel health strategies.