Tinubu approves N10bn Ebola preparedness fund, sets up presidential task force

By Johnson Arua 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, alongside the immediate release of N10 billion to strengthen Nigeria's readiness against a possible outbreak of the disease.

The approval was announced in a statement issued by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the emergency intervention fund will enhance the operational preparedness of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical public health emergency response activities nationwide.

The newly established Presidential Task Force will be chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and will comprise representatives from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as state governments.

The move follows recent reports of Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, raising concerns over the potential importation of the disease into Nigeria.

President Tinubu's decision came after a stakeholders' meeting chaired by Gbajabiamila to assess Nigeria's preparedness and develop strategies to prevent the spread of Ebola into the country.

Participants at the meeting included representatives of 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 key stakeholders.

As part of the response measures, the President directed all states hosting international airports and border corridors, along with relevant MDAs, to submit detailed preparedness plans, funding requirements, and intervention needs for coordinated implementation.

The Task Force is expected to immediately implement enhanced screening measures at international airports, including intensified temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.

Authorities will also strengthen monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk routes serviced by airlines such as Air Uganda, RwandAir, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines.

In addition, referral and isolation centres are to be activated immediately at the international airports in Lagos and Abuja, with similar facilities to be established at other airports across the country.

Other measures approved by the President include the mandatory use of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the disinfection of airport terminals, cargo sections, baggage handling areas, and other facilities.

Tinubu also directed the Task Force to work with security, diplomatic, and aviation authorities to review and regulate flights from affected and high-risk countries where necessary.

The advisory group was further instructed to designate specific airports or terminals for flights considered high-risk to facilitate controlled screening and isolation procedures. It may also recommend adjustments to flight schedules to reduce interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.

The Federal Government said the measures are aimed at preventing the importation of Ebola and safeguarding public health across the country.