Author: Gist Correspondent

Nigeria is preparing to evacuate the country’s confirmed Ebola patient abroad for further medical treatment amid intensified efforts to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.

A source familiar with the development reportedly disclosed on Sunday night that arrangements had been made to fly the 42-year-old woman out of the country by 6am on Monday, October 26, with a medical evacuation aircraft already at the airport.

The development comes as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed that two suspected Ebola cases in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Rivers State had tested negative.

The agency also disclosed that 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed case had been identified and were being monitored, while efforts to trace additional secondary contacts continued.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, said the patient was receiving medical care in isolation, with infection prevention and control measures in place. He added that her condition was improving.

Idris explained that the outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus and was detected through event-based surveillance after healthcare workers identified symptoms that raised concerns.

He said the 53 primary contacts included 44 personnel from the hospital where the patient was receiving treatment and nine other individuals identified through contact-tracing investigations.

According to him, samples collected from the patient’s husband tested negative, while the two suspected cases in the FCT and Rivers State also returned negative results. Further follow-up would be conducted as part of the surveillance process.

The NCDC chief disclosed that the patient was originally from Uganda and married to a Swiss national, adding that investigations were ongoing to establish her travel history. Nigerian officials were also expected to engage their Ugandan counterparts virtually to exchange relevant information.

Idris said the government had activated a structured Incident Management System coordinated through the Emergency Operations Centre, with support from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, FCT health authorities and other partners.

He listed the response measures to include monitoring identified contacts for 21 days, strengthening infection prevention in health facilities, expanding laboratory testing capacity, improving surveillance and engaging communities.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is also assisting in tracking contacts, while the government is strengthening the genomic testing capacity of 12 laboratories to support the response.

Idris added that the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital had been designated as a special isolation centre and that the premises associated with the patient had been fumigated.

On the welfare of quarantined contacts, he said the Federal Government was considering providing ₦100,000 weekly to cover their feeding and upkeep, following complaints about the financial burden of quarantine.

He explained that the proposed assistance was an interim arrangement, with state governments expected to assume responsibility for maintaining contacts within their jurisdictions subsequently.

The NCDC director-general urged Nigerians to cooperate with contact-tracing teams, provide accurate information and follow public health advisories, stressing that being identified as a contact did not mean a person had contracted Ebola.

He also warned against misinformation and stigmatisation, urging the public to rely on verified information from the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, the West African College of Physicians (WACP) is set to discuss the Ebola threat alongside other pressing healthcare challenges as it marks its 50th anniversary with a week-long summit in Abuja beginning on Monday.

The summit is expected to attract more than 1,300 medical experts from across West Africa to deliberate on infectious disease control, healthcare infrastructure, medical workforce shortages and other challenges confronting the region.

WACP President, Dr. Mamadou Mourtalla, said the meeting would examine developments in medical science, specialist training, healthcare delivery and epidemic preparedness, with more than 70 scientific papers scheduled for presentation.

Assistant Secretary-General of the college, Dr. Habibu Galadanci, said discussions would also address the migration of medical professionals, commonly known as the “Japa syndrome”, as well as the growing burden of kidney disease, hypertension, mental health conditions and other non-communicable diseases.

Other areas of focus include the application of artificial intelligence in medicine, ethical issues in patient management, maternal and reproductive health, and improving the performance of public hospitals.

The college said the summit would provide an opportunity to assess its achievements over the past 50 years and develop recommendations for strengthening healthcare systems across West Africa.

As part of its corporate social responsibility activities, members of the college also conducted a free medical outreach in Waru community, a suburb of Abuja, on Saturday, providing healthcare services to residents.

The summit is expected to produce recommendations for governments and health institutions as the region confronts persistent healthcare challenges and the threat of infectious disease outbreaks.