Ebola: 21 States Update Response Plans, 15 Yet To Comply

Twenty-one states have updated their Ebola response plans, while 15 others are yet to put appropriate preparedness and response mechanisms in place, the National Economic Council (NEC) has said.

The Council disclosed this on Thursday following a briefing by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, on Nigeria’s response to the reported Ebola outbreak in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Pate, who briefed the Council during its 161st meeting, chaired virtually by Vice President Kashim Shettima, urged the remaining 15 states to expedite the establishment of appropriate preparedness and response mechanisms.

The minister also allayed fears of a major public health crisis, assuring Council members that Nigeria has the institutional capacity to contain the situation.

He said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was collaborating with relevant stakeholders to operationalise a robust national response system.

According to him, key components of the response include coordination and governance, detection at points of entry, laboratory testing capacity, logistics for essential kits and personal protective equipment, as well as effective strategic communication.

The Council’s deliberations underscored the need for states to strengthen their preparedness measures and ensure that appropriate response systems are in place to address potential public health threats.

The development comes as Nigeria steps up efforts to contain the reported Ebola outbreak in the FCT and strengthen coordination among relevant authorities.

At the meeting, NEC also considered other national development priorities, including the eradication of polio, livestock development and measures to reduce transportation costs through the deployment of compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles.