Senate Seeks Mandatory Ebola Screening For All International Arrivals
The Nigerian Senate has called for mandatory Ebola screening for all international travellers entering the country, warning that existing measures could leave critical gaps in disease surveillance and expose Nigeria to further public health risks.
The lawmakers urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and Port Health Services to introduce compulsory health declaration forms, temperature checks and symptom assessments for all incoming passengers, regardless of nationality or country of departure.
They also recommended enhanced screening for travellers who had visited or transited through affected areas within the preceding 21 days, alongside exit screening for departing passengers during declared public health emergencies.
The Senate acknowledged the Federal Government’s existing measures, including health declaration forms and increased screening at entry points, but expressed concern that the protocols were limited to travellers from selected countries.
According to the lawmakers, shortages of trained personnel and screening equipment at some entry points could undermine Nigeria’s preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks.
They further warned that the country’s existing public health challenges, including Lassa fever, cholera and diphtheria, made stronger surveillance and emergency response systems imperative.
The upper chamber called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure that airports and other entry points were equipped with trained Port Health officers, thermal scanners, protective equipment and isolation facilities.
It also urged the Federal Government to strengthen isolation and treatment centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
On legislation, the Senate advocated replacing the Quarantine Act of 1926 with a modern public health law aligned with the International Health Regulations of 2005.
The lawmakers also called on the 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 allocations.
The recommendations came amid reports of an imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, reportedly confirmed on Wednesday that laboratory tests had detected Ebola virus disease in a woman who recently travelled to Uganda.
According to Pate, the woman returned to Nigeria with symptoms on October 7, and her condition worsened four days later before subsequent tests confirmed the infection.
However, Uganda’s Ministry of Health disputed reports of an Ebola outbreak in the country, saying investigations were ongoing to determine where the patient contracted the virus.
The Ugandan authorities noted that passing through the country did not, by itself, establish the location of infection. They also said they were awaiting detailed information from Nigeria about the woman’s travel itinerary and clinical history to support investigations and possible contact tracing.
The report further stated that the outbreak had spread to several African countries following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May, while Kenya had reported its ninth case on Tuesday.
The developments have renewed calls for stronger border health surveillance, improved emergency preparedness and adequate funding to protect Nigeria against the spread of infectious diseases.
