Panic Over Ebola Spread Pushes Nigerian Airports Into Emergency Mode
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has stepped up health surveillance across the nation’s international airports following renewed fears over the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in parts of Central Africa.
The renewed alert follows reports of fresh Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with concerns that the virus may have spread into neighbouring Uganda, prompting calls for tighter border surveillance in Nigeria.
A public health expert, Professor Sylvester Odion Akhaine, warned that Nigeria could face serious health risks if authorities fail to sustain strict monitoring at entry points across the country.
He noted that over 131 deaths have reportedly been recorded in affected areas, adding that concerns remain high among health experts because the latest strain is believed to have limited vaccine coverage.
Akhaine expressed worries that despite intensified preventive measures in some East African countries, Nigeria appears not to be showing the same level of urgency.
He recalled Nigeria’s successful containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak through the efforts of late physician Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, who prevented an infected Liberian-American traveller, Patrick Sawyer, from moving freely after he arrived in the country with the virus.
According to him, the incident underscored the importance of swift institutional response and proactive public health measures during emergencies.
The university don urged government agencies to focus on preventive action, improve public awareness and strengthen emergency preparedness to avert any possible outbreak in the country.
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