The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to release emergency funds from the service-wide vote to strengthen disease surveillance and introduce compulsory health screening at all international airports, seaports and designated land borders to prevent the spread of Ebola and other infectious diseases.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Francis Faduyile, who expressed concern over the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus and the potential threat to Nigeria’s public health system.
Faduyile said the outbreak, which originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had spread to other African countries, including Uganda and Kenya, raising fears that infected travellers could enter Nigeria through transit countries.
He also referenced an assessment by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention indicating a high risk of Ebola being imported into the country. He recalled that Nigeria recorded an Ebola case in Lagos in July 2014 after an infected traveller arrived in the country.
Although the Senate acknowledged measures already introduced by the Federal Government, including health declaration forms and enhanced screening at points of entry, lawmakers expressed concern that the restrictions applied mainly to travellers from selected countries.
According to the lawmakers, the limited scope of the screening measures could create gaps in Nigeria’s disease surveillance system, particularly amid concerns about inadequate personnel and equipment at some entry points.
The Senate also highlighted the continued reliance of Port Health Services on the Quarantine Act of 1926, arguing that Nigeria requires a stronger and more modern legal framework to respond effectively to emerging public health threats.
It warned that the country’s existing disease burden, including Lassa fever, cholera and diphtheria, makes it necessary to strengthen preparedness against another major health emergency.
Consequently, the Senate called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC and Port Health Services to ensure that all international passengers arriving in Nigeria undergo mandatory health screening, regardless of their nationality or country of departure.
The proposed measures include completing health declaration forms, temperature checks and symptom assessments. Travellers who have visited or transited through affected areas within the preceding 21 days would be subjected to enhanced screening.
The chamber also recommended exit screening for departing passengers during officially declared public health emergencies.
In addition, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigeria Immigration Service to provide adequate numbers of trained Port Health officers, thermal scanners, personal protective equipment and isolation facilities at all designated entry points.
It further called for the preparation of isolation and treatment centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure that suspected and confirmed cases can be managed promptly.
On the legal framework, the lawmakers urged the Federal Government to replace the Quarantine Act of 1926 with updated public health legislation aligned with the International Health Regulations of 2005.
The Senate also called on the relevant ministries responsible for finance, budget and economic planning to provide adequate funding for the NCDC and Port Health Services in the 2027 budget and release outstanding funds.
NIGERIA CONFIRMS EBOLA CASE
The Senate’s resolution comes amid reports that the Federal Government confirmed an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed in Abuja that laboratory tests had confirmed an imported case of Ebola virus disease.
According to Pate, the patient is a woman who recently travelled to Uganda and returned to Nigeria with symptoms on October 7. Her condition reportedly worsened four days later before laboratory tests confirmed the infection.
However, Ugandan authorities have disputed reports linking the infection to an Ebola outbreak in the country.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health said investigations were ongoing to establish where the patient was exposed to the virus, stressing that travelling through Uganda alone did not establish the location of infection.
The ministry also said the Nigerian government had yet to provide detailed information about the patient’s travel itinerary and clinical history, which it said would assist further investigations and any necessary contact tracing.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is associated with a severe viral disease that can cause haemorrhagic symptoms and death. The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has raised concerns across the continent over the risk of cross-border transmission.
Kenya reportedly recorded its ninth case on Tuesday, while health authorities in the DRC have reported thousands of cases and more than 400 deaths during the outbreak.
The developments have intensified calls for stronger disease surveillance, improved border screening and better-equipped health facilities to prevent further transmission and protect public health.
