The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has commended the swift actions of a patient and health workers in Abuja, whose vigilance activated the country’s emergency health response and helped minimise public risk amid fears of Ebola or Marburg virus importation.
NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, in a statement on Friday, confirmed that investigations into two suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases in Abuja returned negative for Ebola and Marburg.
He explained that the samples were undergoing further tests for other conditions such as Lassa fever and dengue.
Idris said the most recent case involved a traveller who returned from Kigali and immediately sought medical care after falling ill.
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He described the patient’s conduct as exemplary, noting, “His decision to seek care early, combined with the vigilance of the attending clinician and hospital team, ensured our public health system was promptly activated and the risk to the public minimized.”
The NCDC Director General praised clinicians and staff at Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, for raising suspicion and reporting the case, which triggered a rapid national response.
The agency boss also acknowledged the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) epidemiology and response teams, Port Health Services, the National Reference Laboratory, and partners in immigration and aviation for their coordinated efforts.
According to Idris, Nigeria has strengthened surveillance at points of entry, placed isolation and treatment facilities on alert, and pre-positioned infection prevention and case management supplies. Laboratories, he said, remain on standby for rapid testing, while response teams are prepared for contact tracing if required.
Beyond immediate measures, the agency is working with states and partners to upgrade isolation facilities, train healthcare workers on infection prevention, conduct simulation exercises, and ensure readiness to deploy vaccines and therapeutics where necessary.
Idris further urged state governments to support surveillance officers, maintain functional isolation centres, and enhance rapid-response capacity. He stressed that both public and private healthcare workers must remain vigilant, apply strict infection-control measures, and promptly report suspicious cases.
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While reassuring Nigerians that there is no outbreak of Ebola or Marburg in the country, Idris warned against misinformation, emphasising that rumours fuel panic, stigma, and resistance to care. He encouraged citizens to rely on official updates from the NCDC and government channels.
“These recent events are a reminder that the vigilance of one clinician, the responsibility of one patient, and the cooperation of all stakeholders can protect millions,” he stated.
