...calls for stronger disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, adequate funding
The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. (Comrade) Chinedu Ogah, OON, has called on the Federal Government and relevant health authorities to strengthen Ebola prevention measures and emergency preparedness across schools, hospitals and other public health institutions.
Ogah, who chairs the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, 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 enhanced preventive measures and emergency medical preparedness against the disease.
Reacting to reports of a confirmed Ebola case involving a woman who reportedly arrived in Abuja from Uganda, the lawmaker urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid unnecessary panic and cooperate fully with relevant public health authorities.
He stressed the importance of implementing comprehensive preventive measures in primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions, primary healthcare centres and general hospitals to minimise the risk of transmission and safeguard the health of students, healthcare workers and the general public.
Ogah also called on Nigerians to adhere strictly to official health advisories and obtain information from credible sources, particularly the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), warning against the spread of unverified information that could create unnecessary fear.
The federal lawmaker urged federal and state health authorities to intensify disease surveillance, strengthen screening procedures at points of entry, expand laboratory testing capacity and improve contact tracing and rapid-response mechanisms to ensure the timely identification and containment of suspected cases.
He noted that effective disease prevention required sustained public enlightenment, adequate supplies of infection-prevention materials, well-equipped healthcare facilities, trained medical personnel and sufficient financial resources to support emergency response operations.
According to him, the Federal Government must mobilise both public and private healthcare institutions to work collaboratively in strengthening the country's preparedness against potential public health emergencies.
He further called for the timely release of outstanding appropriated funds to relevant health agencies, stressing that adequate and consistent funding was essential to maintaining effective surveillance systems, equipping medical facilities and ensuring that emergency response teams could act promptly when necessary.
Ogah warned that delays in identifying suspected cases, isolating infected persons and tracing their contacts could weaken containment efforts and expose more people to potential health risks.
He maintained that Nigeria must adopt a proactive approach to disease prevention rather than wait for an outbreak to escalate before taking decisive action.
The lawmaker emphasised that coordinated action by government institutions, healthcare providers, school administrators and citizens remained critical to protecting lives and safeguarding the nation's public health system.
He called on all stakeholders to treat Ebola preparedness as a collective responsibility, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant, follow verified medical guidance and support measures aimed at preventing the disease from spreading within the country.
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