The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has directed public and private healthcare facilities across the country to strengthen infection prevention measures and immediately isolate suspected Ebola cases without waiting for laboratory confirmation.
The Director-General of the agency, Jide Idris, gave the directive during a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday, urging healthcare workers to promptly identify, report and manage suspected cases to prevent further transmission.
The directive follows Nigeria’s confirmation of an Ebola case on October 20 involving a 42-year-old woman living in Abuja who recently travelled to Uganda, prompting the Federal Government to activate a coordinated public health response.
Idris called on hospital administrators to strengthen screening and triage procedures, ensure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment and train healthcare workers on its proper use. He stressed that suspected cases must be separated from other patients and reported immediately to the appropriate public health authorities.
He also emphasised the need for strict adherence to standard infection prevention practices, including regular handwashing, environmental cleaning, injection safety, proper handling of sharp objects and safe disposal of medical waste.
The NCDC chief said the agency was working with health authorities in the Federal Capital Territory to improve screening, isolation facilities and protection for healthcare workers. He added that the agency was assessing priority health facilities and deploying trained infection prevention specialists to provide technical support and guidance.
