By David Oluwatosin
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has urged Nigerians to remain calm and vigilant following reports of an imported Ebola Virus Disease case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assuring the public of its readiness to support ongoing containment efforts.
The agency said it was prepared to deploy its biosafety and biosecurity expertise to support the national response, including infection prevention and control measures coordinated by relevant public health authorities.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NBMA, Dr Fatima Suleiman-Zuntu, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and other relevant institutions to strengthen preparedness and response efforts.
Suleiman-Zuntu commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, the FCT Health Services Secretariat and their partners for their response to the reported case.
She noted that Nigeria’s experience in containing Ebola in 2014 demonstrated the importance of preparedness, coordinated action, scientific evidence and public cooperation in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
According to her, NBMA stands ready to make its biosafety experts available to the NCDC and other response teams to support containment measures and reduce the risk of further transmission.
As concerns grow over the reported case, the agency urged Nigerians to follow official health advisories and adopt preventive measures to reduce potential exposure to the virus.
Members of the public were advised to practise good hand hygiene, avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone who is ill and refrain from handling the bodies of people suspected to have died from Ebola.
The agency also urged anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with Ebola, particularly after contact with a suspected or confirmed case or travel to an affected area, to promptly seek guidance from public health authorities.
It stressed the importance of cooperating with health officials and contact-tracing teams to help identify and monitor people who may have been exposed.
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The agency’s advisory forms part of efforts to ensure that public awareness, early reporting and cooperation complement the work of health professionals responding to the reported case.
Suleiman-Zuntu urged Nigerians to rely on verified information from recognised public health authorities rather than unconfirmed reports that could create unnecessary panic.
She said timely reporting of suspected symptoms, adherence to official guidance and cooperation with response teams remained essential to supporting containment efforts.
The agency also highlighted the importance of applying lessons from Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak, when coordinated public health interventions played a critical role in controlling the disease.
For verified information and public health guidance, the NBMA provided the following contact numbers:
- NCDC toll-free line: 6232
- NBMA: 0808 225 4683
The agency reiterated its commitment to supporting national biosafety and biosecurity efforts while encouraging Nigerians to remain alert, follow official advisories and avoid spreading unverified information.
