Nigeria identifies 21 regions with high, moderate risk for Ebola importation
Abuja, May 29
Nigerian public health authorities have identified 21 of the country's 36 states as being at high or moderate risk of Ebola importation, amid growing concerns over cross-border transmission.
In a statement issued by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said that recent Ebola outbreaks in parts of East and Central Africa had increased the risk of the disease being imported into Nigeria, although no confirmed case has yet been recorded in the country.
The NCDC classified the capital city Abuja, the southern states of Lagos, Rivers, Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Cross River, as well as the northern states of Kano, Borno, Taraba and Adamawa, as high-risk areas because of active travel and trade routes linked to international airports and porous land borders, Xinhua news agency reported.
The agency also listed Ogun, Ebonyi, Abia and Bayelsa states in the south, along with Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina and Bauchi states in the north, as moderate-risk areas requiring enhanced surveillance and preparedness measures.
Jide Idris, Director General of the NCDC, said the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s declaration of the Ebola outbreak as a "public health emergency of international concern" underscored the need for Nigeria to strengthen preparedness efforts.
He warned that Ebola symptoms closely resemble those of malaria and Lassa fever, increasing the risk of delayed detection and further transmission.
With a population of more than 242 million, Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and the world's sixth most populous nation.
Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the Ebola outbreak in Congo was "very complex", with conflict, insecurity, displacement, food shortages and community mistrust complicating efforts to contain the disease.
Speaking to reporters on late Thursday at the airport upon arriving in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, Ghebreyesus noted that he had come to show affected communities that "they are not alone" and that the WHO was there to support the response.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who's worked in public health in Lagos, this is familiar territory. The porous land borders and international airports make it a constant challenge. I hope the WHO's attention and resources help, but community mistrust in affected regions is a real barrier. Kudos to Nigeria for being transparent about the risks.
It's good that they're identifying high-risk areas early. But I wonder if the classification takes into account the internal migration patterns—like people moving from rural to urban centers for work, which could spread the virus silently. India's COVID experience taught us that internal travel is just as risky as cross-border movement.
Respectfully, I think the focus on Ebola might be misdirected given that Nigeria still battles malaria and Lassa fever daily. While preparedness is essential, we must not divert resources from existing health crises. The NCDC Director General's warning about symptom overlap is valid, but systems need to be robust for all diseases, not just the latest outbreak.
The WHO's declaration as a public health emergency is a wake-up call. But the complexity of Congo's outbreak—conflict, displacement, food shortages—is a stark reminder that health emergencies aren't just medical but socio-political. Nigeria's multi-state approach is smart, but they'll need community engagement, not just surveillance. Pakka need to work on trust.
21 out of 36 states—that's a significant portion of the country. I hope the NCDC has enough resources to implement preparedness measures across all these regions. The population of 242 million adds pressure. India has similar scale challenges, and we know that early detection is key. Let's hope international
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.