The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Ebonyi State, in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Chinedu Ogah, has called on the Federal Government and relevant health authorities to intensify disease surveillance, strengthen emergency response mechanisms and increase funding for preventive measures to contain the spread of Ebola in Nigeria.
Ogah, who chairs the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, said urgent and coordinated interventions were necessary to protect schools, hospitals and other public institutions against the risk of further transmission.
The lawmaker made the call during an interview with Kapital FM in Abuja, following deliberations on a motion by the Chairman of the House Committee on Infectious Diseases, Hon. Amobi Ogah, seeking stronger preventive measures and emergency medical preparedness against the disease.
His appeal comes amid the Federal Government's confirmation of an imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, involving a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda.
The World Health Organisation reported on October 20 that the patient had been isolated and was receiving medical care, while health authorities had identified 44 contacts for monitoring as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.
Ogah urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and cooperate fully with public health authorities, stressing that public vigilance and adherence to official health advisories were critical to containing the disease.
He called for comprehensive preventive measures across primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions, primary healthcare centres and general hospitals to strengthen infection prevention and protect students, healthcare workers and other vulnerable populations.
The lawmaker also urged federal and state health authorities to intensify surveillance, screening at points of entry, laboratory testing, contact tracing and the prompt isolation of suspected cases.
According to him, effective containment requires more than public warnings, insisting that adequate medical supplies, well-equipped healthcare facilities, trained personnel and sustained public awareness must underpin the country's emergency preparedness strategy.
He further called on the Federal Government to mobilise public and private healthcare institutions and ensure the timely release of outstanding appropriated funds to relevant health agencies to strengthen their operational capacity.
Ogah warned that delays in identifying suspected infections, isolating patients and tracing their contacts could undermine containment efforts and increase the risk of further transmission.
He stressed the need for health authorities to ensure that healthcare workers were adequately trained and equipped to identify suspected cases, observe infection prevention and control protocols and report unusual symptoms promptly.
The lawmaker also advised Nigerians to obtain information from credible sources, particularly the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), rather than rely on rumours circulating on social media.
He maintained that proactive prevention, inter-agency collaboration and responsible public cooperation remained essential to protecting lives and preventing the confirmed case from developing into a wider outbreak.
Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 through coordinated public health interventions, including case identification, isolation and contact tracing.
Ogah called for lessons from that experience to inform the current response, urging the relevant authorities to sustain vigilance and address any gaps in the country's preparedness and emergency response systems.
He reiterated that timely funding, effective surveillance and coordinated action across all levels of government were indispensable to safeguarding public health and preventing further transmission.
