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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Health & Science

Ebola: NCDC seeks increased state funding for prevention measures

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) urges state governors to increase funding for health workers to prevent Ebola entry.
  • NCDC Director-General Dr. Jide Idris stressed the need for state-level capacity building and funding for prevention measures.
  • Travel medicine experts highlighted their role in preventing disease importation through strengthened monitoring at entry points and patient assessment.

Amidst concerns over Ebola's resurgence in Africa, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is appealing to state governors for enhanced funding to bolster preventive measures against the virus. Dr. Jide Idris, NCDC Director-General, emphasized that while federal efforts are in place, states must significantly increase their support for health workers and capacity building.

The idea is to prevent any cases from entering the country, and this is one of the most practical ways to achieve that.

— Dr. Jide IdrisDirector-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, explaining the importance of prevention measures at entry points.

Idris highlighted that strengthened monitoring at airports and contact tracing are ongoing federal initiatives. However, he stressed that "The NCDC cannot carry the burden alone." He urged states to fund their personnel and provide necessary infrastructure, engaging with them through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and commissioners to advocate for stronger health sector support.

The NCDC cannot carry the burden alone. State governments need to fund their personnel and provide the necessary infrastructure.

— Dr. Jide IdrisDirector-General of the NCDC, appealing for increased state government support in disease prevention.

The call for increased funding comes as travel medicine professionals are increasingly recognized as crucial gatekeepers against disease importation. Dr. Patrick Chukwuma, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Society of Travel Medicine (NSTM), noted that diseases like Ebola and COVID-19 spread through travel. He advised newly inducted members to routinely include travel history in patient assessments as a vital step in preventing outbreaks.

We are engaging with them through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and urging commissioners to push for stronger health sector support in their respective states.

— Dr. Jide IdrisDirector-General of the NCDC, detailing efforts to secure state-level commitment to health sector support.

Chukwuma stated, "In checking the vital signs of a patient, we also want to start checking travel history because it is a way to act as a gatekeeper and prevent diseases from coming in." The NSTM's establishment was informed by the realization that most viruses and diseases are spread via travel, underscoring the importance of travel medicine in safeguarding public health.

Travel medicine is all about the traveller’s health. We aim to prevent illness among travellers.

— Dr. Patrick ChukwumaChairman of the Board of Trustees of the NSTM, explaining the core mission of travel medicine.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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