In response to the renewed outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, the Nigerian Government has activated a preparedness plan by setting up the Ebola Preparedness Working Group, EPWG, even as passengers with fever arriving from a county where Ebola has been detected are to be investigated.
Disclosing this in a statement, Technical Assistant, Communications of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Dr. Lawal Bakare, said that the Ebola Preparedness Working Group was put together at an emergency meeting convened on Monday by NCDC, to coordinate immediate risk assessment of the situation in the DRC and coordinate the strengthening of prevention and preparedness for any potential introduction of the Ebola virus into Nigeria.
The minister was at the Airport on assessment tour to ensure that the screening machines were functioning perfectly as the country steps up surveillance in detecting fever of any kind.
“We want to assure Nigerians that we have never stopped screening people, it has been going on at the International Wing of all the airports in the country, although passengers may not have noticed it.
“There is no reason to panic, everything is under control, if there is a need to screen local passengers we would do that but for now, we are concentrating on passengers on international travels,” Adewole said.
Earlier, the minister had a meeting with the Airport Manager, Mr Sani Muhammed, who assured the minister of the readiness of all the airport staff to work together in ensuring that Ebola does not come in the country.
Director, Port Health Services, Dr. Hassan Garba, said a sophisticated thermal camera already installed at the airport captures all arriving passengers with or without their knowledge, anybody showing red on the camera, would be questioned.
