…as Abbas call for better-equipped laboratories, border screening, emergency funding and coordinated response to outbreaks
By Gloria Ikibah 
The House of Representatives and stakeholders in Nigeria’s disease control sector have called for stronger disease surveillance, improved emergency response capacity and sustained legislative support to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in the country.
The call was made at a one-day public hearing on the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria, organised by the Joint House of Committee on Infectious Diseases, Healthcare Services, Aviation and Interior on Tuesday in Abuja.
Declaring the hearing open, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said public health security was inseparable from national security, warning that outbreaks beyond Nigeria’s borders could quickly become matters of national concern.
Abbas, who was represented by Billy Famous Osawaru, said Nigeria’s preparedness must not be determined by the absence of an immediate threat.
He said: “The outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in parts of Africa and the recent confirmation of an imported case in Nigeria remind us that public health security is inseparable from national security. Our preparedness, therefore, must never be determined by the absence of an immediate threat.
“Nigeria has responded to the recent development with commendable vigilance. The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and other relevant institutions, activated emergency response mechanisms, strengthened surveillance and contact tracing, and intensified measures to prevent further transmission”.
The Speaker said the establishment of a Presidential Task Force and the approval of emergency funding demonstrated the importance attached to the country’s public health responsibilities.
However, he warned against complacency, noting that the evacuation of the confirmed imported case and the absence of established onward transmission should strengthen Nigeria’s resolve to prevent future outbreaks.
“These measures are reassuring but must not make us complacent. The fact that the confirmed imported case has been evacuated and no onward transmission has been established should strengthen our resolve to prevent a recurrence, rather than diminish our sense of urgency.
“The experience of the 2014 Ebola outbreak demonstrated that early detection, decisive intervention and effective coordination can make the difference between containment and a national health emergency,” Abbas said.
He said the public hearing was necessary for the legislature to assess the country’s preparedness, scrutinise existing institutions and ensure that the legal, financial and operational frameworks required to protect Nigerians were in place.
“It is against this background that the House of Representatives considers this public hearing both timely and necessary. Our responsibility as legislators extends beyond responding to emergencies after they occur. We must also interrogate the adequacy of our preparedness, scrutinise the effectiveness of existing institutions and ensure that the legal, financial and operational frameworks required to protect Nigerians are firmly in place.
“Oversight is not an exercise in assigning blame; it is an instrument for securing accountability, identifying weaknesses and ensuring that public resources deliver measurable results.
“This hearing should therefore provide an opportunity for the relevant ministries, departments and agencies, public health professionals, development partners and other stakeholders to give a candid assessment of Nigeria’s preparedness and response capacity,” he said.
Abbas further called for an assessment of the country’s disease surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, isolation facilities and emergency response infrastructure.
He also raised concerns about the preparedness of healthcare workers, availability of protective equipment, screening at ports of entry and the capacity of border communities to detect and report suspected cases.
“Whether healthcare workers have the training and protective equipment necessary to discharge their responsibilities safely; and whether our ports of entry and border communities are sufficiently covered by effective screening and monitoring arrangements.
“Equally important is the question of inter-agency coordination, the timely release and transparent utilisation of emergency health funds, and the capacity of state governments to respond effectively to public health emergencies.
“Disease containment cannot be the responsibility of the Federal Government alone. It requires a coordinated national response in which every tier of government understands its obligations and possesses the capacity to fulfil them,” he said.
The Speaker also stressed the need for effective public communication, warning that misinformation and panic could undermine efforts to contain disease outbreaks.
“In moments of public health uncertainty, misinformation and panic can complicate an otherwise manageable situation. Nigerians deserve accurate, timely and consistent information from trusted public institutions. Public enlightenment must therefore be an integral part of our preparedness strategy,” he said.
Abbas clarified that the hearing was not intended to create unnecessary alarm, insisting that its primary objective was to strengthen public confidence through preparedness, transparency and institutional accountability.
“Let me emphasise that this hearing is not intended to generate unnecessary alarm. There are currently no active cases of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. Our main purpose is to strengthen public confidence through preparedness, transparency and institutional accountability, and to ensure that our response capacity remains strong enough to confront any future threat.
“The House of Representatives will give serious consideration to the submissions and recommendations arising from this exercise. Where legislative intervention is necessary, we will pursue it. Where administrative deficiencies are identified, we will engage the appropriate authorities to ensure corrective action. And where funding or institutional capacity is inadequate, we will discharge our constitutional responsibilities in addressing those gaps,” he added.
Chairman of the Joint House Committee on Infectious Diseases, Healthcare Services, Aviation and Interior, Rep. Amobi Ogah, said the hearing was aimed at obtaining a comprehensive assessment of the country’s response to the Ebola outbreak and identifying measures needed to prevent future transmission.
Rep. Ogah said the committees were particularly interested in the measures being implemented at airports and other points of entry, given the risks associated with international travel.
He said the lawmakers wanted to know what had been done, the projections for future outbreaks and the effectiveness of screening arrangements for people entering and leaving the country.
“In order to douse the intense apprehension and confusion generated by the news of Ebola virus outbreak and to seek answers, the Parliament as a matter of urgent public importance called for the executive arm to strengthen preventive and emergency medical measures against the spread of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria.
“This public hearing is therefore, intended to bring critical stakeholders in the forefront of containment measures against the Ebola virus in Nigeria, and to inform Nigerians what they have done and what they intend doing to keep Nigerians safe from the Ebola virus outbreak,” Ogah said.
In his submission, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Olajide Idris, called for sustained legislative support for disease surveillance, prevention and control.
Idris commended the establishment of the Presidential Task Force and the swift response of relevant stakeholders during the recent Ebola outbreak.
He emphasised the importance of continued collaboration between the NCDC, the legislature and other relevant institutions to strengthen the country’s preparedness for future public health emergencies.
Also speaking, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, said the service was ready to work with relevant stakeholders to prevent and eradicate Ebola.
Stakeholders at the hearing commended the House of Representatives and the Federal Government for their swift response to the recent Ebola outbreak, while calling for sustained investment in disease surveillance and emergency preparedness.
They maintained that stronger coordination, adequate funding and effective monitoring systems were critical to protecting Nigerians from emerging infectious diseases.
