A 42-year-old Uganda-born wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja has been diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. She was medically evacuated from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to the Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland. Her husband did not test positive for the virus but was placed in isolation at the University Hospital in Zurich. The woman is believed to have contracted the virus during a trip to Kampala, Uganda.
The Nigerian government has taken swift action to prevent the spread of the virus, with the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats, led by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, coordinating the response efforts. President Bola Tinubu approved ₦10 billion in emergency funding to boost the operational readiness of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support public health safety measures.
The NCDC, in collaboration with other health authorities, has placed dozens of identified secondary and tertiary contacts under close monitoring to prevent the spread of the virus. The Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Customs Service have been tasked with tracking inbound passengers with greater vigilance. The government has also activated isolation centers in Lagos and Abuja as part of its preparedness efforts.
Ebola has a long history, dating back to 1976 when it first emerged in Nzara, South Sudan, and Yambuku, in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, the virus has taken a significant toll on humanity, with various strains emerging in different parts of the world. The largest and most complex outbreak in history occurred between 2014 and 2016 in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, resulting in over 28,600 reported cases and 11,300 deaths.
Nigeria has previously demonstrated its ability to contain Ebola outbreaks, notably in 2014 when a Liberian man, Patrick Sawyer, brought the disease into the country. The government, under then-President Goodluck Jonathan, received international acclaim for its response efforts. Dr. Stella Adadevoh, who played a crucial role in treating and isolating Sawyer, later died of the virus.
The current outbreak has sparked concerns about the management of the contingency fund released to the Gbajabiamila committee for combating the virus. There have been disagreements between the ruling party and opposition parties over the fund's management, with calls for accountability. However, the government has been urged to prioritize the containment of the virus and avoid politicking with the lives of Nigerians.
The international community is also monitoring the situation, with Uganda, which had reported 20 confirmed cases and three deaths, officially declared Ebola-free. France has also reported an index case. The Democratic Republic of Congo is currently facing its second-largest and fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record, caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain.
Key points
- The Nigerian government has approved ₦10 billion in emergency funding to combat the Ebola outbreak.
- The Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats is coordinating the response efforts.
- The government has activated isolation centers in Lagos and Abuja as part of its preparedness efforts.
