Nigeria responds with emergency funds as Ebola death toll rises in DRC

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is escalating rapidly, with 89 deaths recorded in the past week alone, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

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Jean Kaseya, the Director-General of the Africa CDC, warned that the latest figures have heightened concerns over growing community transmission and the limited capacity of treatment centres, many of which are operating at 95 per cent bed occupancy.

Speaking during an online media briefing, Mr Kaseya noted that health authorities must simultaneously expand treatment capacity and strengthen early case detection to curb virus transmission. “Authorities must build more treatment capacity while detecting cases sooner. Early detection prevents patients from needing hospital admission,” he said.

According to Africa CDC data, Bunia, Gwampara, Mugwalu, and Nyankunde remain the epicentres of the outbreak, while Katwa, Beni, and Butembo in North Kivu continue to record active transmission. Community spread remains a primary concern; five health zones in Ituri Province and one in North Kivu account for over 85 per cent of confirmed infections. Mr Kaseya noted that only about 30 per cent of newly confirmed cases were identified from known contacts, highlighting the difficulty of contact tracing in conflict-ridden areas.

A Growing Regional Threat

The ongoing outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, presents significant challenges, as there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for this variant.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, has warned that ongoing violence and humanitarian crises in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces are severely impeding response efforts, as health workers face insecurity and community mistrust.

The WHO, in collaboration with the Africa CDC, has requested $518 million for a joint continental preparedness and response plan. While pledges have reached $910 million, only 13 per cent has been released as actual funding, leaving a significant gap that experts warn could cause the outbreak to expand further.

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Nigeria’s Response and Preparedness

Although Nigeria has recorded no confirmed case of Ebola, the federal government has intensified surveillance and emergency response measures due to the high risk of importation.

To bolster national readiness, President Bola Tinubu recently inaugurated a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. The government has also authorised the release of ₦10 billion in emergency intervention funding to strengthen the operational capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical public health emergency response activities.

Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has approved the disbursement of State Outbreak Investigation and Response Funds (S-OIRF), providing ₦21.2 million to each state through the NCDC Gateway of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has directed all beneficiary states to manage these funds transparently and return them within six months.

Heightened Surveillance

The NCDC has conducted dynamic risk assessments, classifying the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as “high” due to international travel, regional population movement, and porous borders. Consequently, surveillance at airports, seaports, and land borders has been significantly tightened.

Jide Idris, the Director-General of the NCDC, emphasised that Nigeria is building on the lessons learned from the 2014 Ebola containment effort. “As I speak, there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. However, we have intensified preparedness activities nationwide to ensure Nigeria remains ready to rapidly detect, investigate, contain, and respond to any potential importation,” he said.

The NCDC has completed readiness assessments in 549 health facilities across 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as evaluations of 17 designated treatment centres.

READ ALSO: DRC Ebola outbreak tops 1,000 cases as death toll reaches 277- WHO

Public Advisory

The NCDC has urged Nigerians to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation. The agency clarified that Ebola is not an airborne disease and urged the public to rely only on updates from official health authorities.

Citizens are advised to:

Maintain regular hand hygiene.
Avoid contact with the blood or bodily fluids of sick persons.
Refrain from handling sick or dead animals or bushmeat from unknown sources.
Promptly report any unusual illnesses to the nearest health facility.
For further information and technical guidance, members of the public are encouraged to visit the official ministry website: www.health.gov.ng.