The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to release emergency funds to strengthen disease surveillance and introduce mandatory health screening for all international travellers entering the country amid concerns over the spread of Ebola.
The lawmakers also called for compulsory screening at international airports, seaports and designated land borders to prevent the importation of Ebola and other infectious diseases.
The resolutions followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Francis Faduyile, who warned that the spread of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus posed a potential threat to Nigeria’s public health system.
Faduyile noted that the outbreak, which originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had extended to other African countries, including Uganda and Kenya, raising concerns about the possible entry of infected travellers through transit countries.
He also cited the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s assessment of the risk of Ebola being imported into Nigeria.
The senator recalled the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when an infected traveller introduced the virus into Lagos, stressing the need to strengthen preventive measures at the country’s points of entry.
Although the Senate acknowledged existing government measures, including health declaration forms and increased surveillance, it expressed concern that screening was limited to travellers arriving from selected countries.
The lawmakers warned that this approach could create gaps in disease surveillance, particularly amid shortages of trained personnel and essential screening equipment at some entry points.
They also noted that Port Health Services continues to operate under the Quarantine Act of 1926, which they said requires urgent review.
The Senate consequently directed the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC and Port Health Services to ensure that all international passengers undergo health screening, regardless of nationality or country of departure.
The proposed measures include completing health declaration forms, temperature checks and assessments for symptoms associated with infectious diseases. Travellers who have visited or passed through affected areas within the preceding 21 days would also face more intensive screening.
The lawmakers further recommended departure screening for passengers leaving Nigeria whenever a public health emergency is declared.
They urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigeria Immigration Service to equip entry points with adequate numbers of trained Port Health officers, thermal scanners, protective equipment and isolation facilities.
The Senate also called for improved preparedness at isolation and treatment centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure a coordinated response to potential outbreaks.
On legislative reforms, the lawmakers advocated replacing the Quarantine Act of 1926 with an updated public health law aligned with the International Health Regulations of 2005.
They also urged the ministries responsible for finance, budget and economic planning to provide adequate funding for the NCDC and Port Health Services in the 2027 budget, while releasing outstanding funds to strengthen surveillance and emergency response capacity.
The Senate said the measures were necessary to protect public health, particularly as Nigeria continues to contend with other infectious diseases, including Lassa fever, cholera and diphtheria.
