Ekiti, Ogun Move To Curtail Spread Of Ebola Disease

By Ayodele Oni

States have stepped up measures to curtail spread of Ebola disease following a reported case in tge Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja.

Ekiti State Government has launched increased public awareness through engagement of stakeholders, including health workers, community leaders, media officers, faith-based organisations, civil society organisations and traditional rulers, on Ebola Virus Disease preventive measures and prompt reporting.

Radio jingles have been produced and are being aired on two radio stations, while Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, including posters, have been produced and distributed.

– Training of laboratory personnel on Ebola sample collection, handling and transport

– Training of State and Local Government Surveillance Teams on EVD surveillance and response to enhance surveillance and active case search

Inauguration of the Ebola Virus Disease Technical Working Group (TWG). An emergency TWG meeting was held on Tuesday, October 13, following the report of a confirmed case in Kenya, to assess state readiness and expedite other readiness activities.

– Orientation of airport officials and environmental health officers on screening and triaging of passengers at the airport and other points of entry

– Improvement of capacity of healthcare workers through functional/simulation exercise (drill) at the Treatment Centre, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, training of healthcare workers on EVD case management and infection prevention and control, and training of State Burial Team on safe and dignified burial.

In Ogun State, Government has also intensified surveillance and preparedness measures, following the Federal Government’s announcement of an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory, assuring residents that no case had been recorded in the state as of October 21, 2026.

The government urged residents to remain vigilant, observe preventive measures and avoid panic or the spread of unverified information.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, noting that Ogun has been on heightened alert since the declaration of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March 2026.

Coker said about 111 persons of interest, comprising passengers from high-risk countries, had been identified, monitored and subsequently discharged from follow-up after completing the required surveillance period.

The commissioner said, “The state’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre is also coordinating preparedness and response activities to ensure the prompt identification, reporting and management of any suspected case’

“The government has strengthened the capacity of Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, port health officers, health educators, clinicians and community informants through training on appropriate response procedures.

“Relevant national guidelines, protocols and resource materials have been adapted and deployed to guide the state’s response, while public sensitisation and infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities were being intensified.”She urged residents to remain calm and obtain information from official public health authorities.

Coker explained that Ebola is a serious disease that can cause severe illness and death, noting that its early symptoms may resemble those of other common illnesses.

She listed the symptoms to include fever, severe weakness, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Unexplained bleeding or bruising may also occur in some cases.

According to her, symptoms can develop between two and 21 days after exposure. She stressed, however, that experiencing these symptoms does not automatically mean a person has Ebola, although prompt professional assessment is essential, particularly where there has been possible exposure or travel to a high-risk area.

The commissioner explained that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, the body of someone who has died from the disease, or materials contaminated with such fluids.

Coker urged anyone who might have been exposed to Ebola to contact public health authorities promptly without waiting for symptoms to develop.

She further advised anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities before visiting a healthcare facility to enable safe referral to an appropriate medical centre.

The commissioner also called on residents to cooperate with surveillance and follow-up teams, provide accurate information when contacted by public health officials and comply with the guidance issued.

She warned against touching the bodies of people who die from suspected or confirmed Ebola, stressing that safe and dignified burials must be handled by trained teams.

Coker also cautioned against rumours, discrimination and stigmatisation, urging residents to share only information from verified public health sources.