The House of Representatives and Stakeholders in Nigeria have called for stronger disease surveillance in the country following the News on Ebola Outbreak in Nigeria.
The call was made at a ” One-day Public Hearing On The Outbreak Of Ebola Virus Disease In Nigeria” held in Abuja.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Tajudeen Abbas who declared the hearing open, said that public health security is inseparable from national security.
The Speaker who was represented by Mr. Billy Osawaru said that in an increasingly interconnected world, an outbreak that begins beyond the Nigerian borders can quickly become a matter of urgent national concern.
” The outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in parts of Africa and the recent confirmation of an imported case in Nigeria remind us that public health security is inseparable from national security. Our preparedness, therefore, must never be determined by the absence of an immediate threat”.
Nigeria has responded to the recent development with commendable vigilance. The Nigerian Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and other relevant institutions, activated emergency response mechanisms, strengthened surveillance and contact tracing, and intensified measures to prevent further transmission”. Speaker Abbas said.
” This hearing should therefore provide an opportunity for the relevant ministries, departments and agencies, public health professionals, development partners and other stakeholders to give a candid assessment of Nigeria’s preparedness and response capacity”. He said.
He pointed out the need to establish whether Nigeria’s disease surveillance systems can detect threats early enough and whether the laboratories, isolation facilities and emergency response infrastructure are adequately equipped.
” Whether healthcare workers have the training and protective equipment necessary to discharge their responsibilities safely; and whether our ports of entry and border communities are sufficiently covered by effective screening and monitoring arrangements”.
Mr. Abbas also highlighted the importance of public communication.
” In moments of public health uncertainty, misinformation and panic can complicate an otherwise manageable situation. Nigerians deserve accurate, timely and consistent information from trusted public institutions. Public enlightenment must therefore be an integral part of our preparedness strategy.
” Let me emphasise that this hearing is not intended to generate unnecessary alarm. There are currently no active cases of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria.
Our main purpose is to strengthen public confidence through preparedness, transparency and institutional accountability, and to ensure that our response capacity remains strong enough to confront any future threat.
The House of Representatives will give serious consideration to the submissions and recommendations arising from this exercise. Where legislative intervention is necessary, we will pursue it.
Where administrative deficiencies are identified, we will engage the appropriate authorities to ensure corrective action. And where funding or institutional capacity is inadequate, we will discharge our constitutional responsibilities in addressing those gaps”. He added.
On his remarks, the Chairman, Joint House Committee On Infectious Diseases, Healthcare Services, Aviation And Interior, Amobi Ogah said that the committees want to know what steps have been taken, what are the projections for the future, and since the carriers of the Ebola virus usually enter a nation through the airports, they also need to know what measures are being taken in all airports to screen persons migrating in and out of our country.
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In order to douse the intense apprehension and confusion generated by the news of Ebola virus outbreak and to seek answers, the Parliament as a matter of urgent public importance called for the executive arm to strengthen preventive and emergency medical measures against the spread of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria.
” This public hearing is therefore, intended to bring critical stakeholders in the forefront of containment measures against the Ebola virus in Nigeria, and to inform Nigerians what they have done and what they intend doing to keep Nigerians safe from the Ebola virus outbreak”. Mr. Ogah said.
In his submission, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is Dr. Olajide Idris sort continuous Legislative support for disease surveillance, prevention and control
He commended the establishment of a Presidential Task Force and the swift response of stakeholders during the last outbreak.
The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche noted that the service is ready to work with relevant stakeholders to eradicate Ebola
Stakeholders at the hearing commended the House and the Nigerian government for the swift response to the last Ebola outbreak in Nigeria.
