Lagos Govt Partners Port Health Authorities, Other Agencies To Tackle Ebola Threat

The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to prevent the possible importation and spread of Ebola Virus Disease by strengthening collaboration with Port Health Authorities and other critical agencies across the country’s air, land and sea entry points.

The move follows the evolving Ebola outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa, prompting Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct heightened surveillance, preparedness and rapid response measures across the state’s health system.

According to a statement from the government in the early hours of Tuesday, the Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi, reassured residents that there is no cause for alarm over the Ebola outbreak in Central and East Africa.

TVC News Online reports that the Director General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Ghebreyesus, on Monday revealed that there are now more than 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths from Ebola.

“The state government is in collaboration with Port Health Authorities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, as well as land and sea points of entry in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) and other critical agencies.

“All flights arriving from East and Central Africa are receiving heightened public health attention and scrutiny as part of precautionary measures to strengthen early detection and risk mitigation. Abayomi advised residents, particularly those who recently travelled to affected areas in Congo or Uganda, or who have had close contact with individuals returning from those countries and have medical concerns, to promptly seek guidance through emergency channels,” read part of the statement.

Allaying fears among Lagos residents, the health commissioner said that the state’s robust and tested biosecurity architecture remains fully activated and prepared to detect, contain and respond rapidly to any biological threat.

“Following directives from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State is closely monitoring developments surrounding the outbreak, which has so far recorded approximately 177 deaths from nearly 700 suspected cases and remains confined to two countries – Congo and Uganda. Prof. Abayomi, on behalf of the leadership of the Ministry of Health, reassures Lagos residents that, as of now, no case suggestive of Ebola Virus Disease has been identified within Lagos State. Lagos has, over the years, built a resilient and outbreak-tested biosecurity system designed for continuous year-round preparedness and response against high-consequence infectious diseases, including Ebola, Lassa Fever and Influenza.

“Prof. Abayomi highlighted key components of the State’s permanent readiness architecture, beginning with the Lagos State Incident Command System (ICS), which is led directly by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu as Incident Commander. The structure enables the rapid deployment of government resources and ensures seamless executive coordination during public health emergencies,” the statement indicated.

WHO has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), owing largely to the difficult terrain in the affected areas, which may challenge local and international public health response efforts.

The statement added that the Lagos State Emergency Operations Centre remains operational around the clock, conducting disease surveillance and gathering real-time public health intelligence through a dedicated network of highly trained epidemiologists and disease surveillance specialists who can be rapidly deployed for outbreak investigation and containment.

“The Lagos Mainland Hospital, also known as the Lagos State Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba, continues to maintain a state of readiness through its infectious disease specialists, dedicated triage systems, intensive care facilities and isolation infrastructure designed to manage cases across varying levels of severity.

“The Biosafety Level-3 Laboratory and Biobank Facility located within the hospital remains on enhanced surveillance operations for the real-time diagnosis and monitoring of high-risk pathogens and continues to collaborate with public health laboratories within Nigeria and internationally,” it added.