The Lagos State Government has moved to calm fears over the growing Ebola outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa, assuring residents that the state remains fully prepared to respond to any possible biological threat.
The reassurance came from the Lagos State Ministry of Health through a statement issued by the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, who said authorities were closely tracking developments under the directive of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to the ministry, the outbreak, currently limited to Congo and Uganda, has resulted in about 177 deaths from nearly 700 suspected infections.
It added that the World Health Organization had classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern because difficult terrain in the affected regions could complicate containment efforts.
Despite the situation, Abayomi said Lagos had not recorded any suspected Ebola case.
“The Lagos Biosecurity Bio-shield was built to protect and remains ready to respond to biological shocks. Preparedness for us is not a temporary reaction; it is a permanent culture embedded within our health system,” he said.
He explained that Lagos strengthened its public health response system after the Ebola outbreak years ago and expanded it during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abayomi said the state’s emergency response structure includes the Lagos State Incident Command System, overseen by Governor Sanwo-Olu, alongside a fully operational Emergency Operations Centre responsible for disease surveillance and intelligence gathering.
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He added that the Lagos Mainland Hospital in Yaba remained on standby with dedicated isolation and intensive care facilities for infectious disease management.
According to him, the hospital’s Biosafety Level-3 Laboratory and Biobank Facility had intensified monitoring activities to strengthen real-time testing and surveillance of high-risk diseases.
The commissioner also said Lagos authorities were working with Port Health officials at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and other entry points in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research.
“All flights arriving from East and Central Africa are receiving heightened public health attention and scrutiny as part of precautionary measures to strengthen early detection and risk mitigation,” the statement noted.
The ministry added that Community Health Workers, Community Development Associations and Civil Society Organisations had been integrated into surveillance efforts to improve early warning systems.
Emergency supplies, including gloves, sanitisers and personal protective equipment, have also been deployed to strategic locations, while ambulance services remain prepared for rapid intervention.
“Our focus remains firmly on prevention, early detection, prompt reporting and swift multi-sectoral response. Lagos remains vigilant, organised and safe,” Abayomi said.
The government advised residents returning from Congo or Uganda, or anyone who recently had close contact with travellers from those countries, to seek medical advice immediately if necessary.
Residents were also urged to use emergency lines 767 or 112, or contact the Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health at the Lagos State Ministry of Health on 08023169485 for assistance.