The Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy has called on the Federal Government to adopt a comprehensive strategy for strengthening Nigeria’s readiness to tackle Ebola and other infectious disease outbreaks.
The Academy proposed a 10-point action plan aimed at improving disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, emergency response systems and healthcare worker safety across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Lere Baale, the organisation urged the government to establish a coordinated national framework for epidemic preparedness.
It cautioned that Nigeria’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014 should not lead to complacency, stressing the importance of maintaining strong response mechanisms beyond periods of crisis.
“Nigeria demonstrated extraordinary leadership, professional competence and national coordination in containing Ebola in 2014. However, yesterday’s success does not automatically guarantee tomorrow’s preparedness,” Baale said.
As part of its recommendations, the Academy called for a nationwide assessment of epidemic preparedness to determine the state of disease surveillance networks, isolation centres, laboratories, medical personnel and emergency response capabilities.
It also advocated compulsory outbreak simulation exercises for healthcare facilities and response teams to test their ability to manage public health emergencies.
The proposed plan includes bringing registered community pharmacies into disease surveillance through collaboration among the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria and NAPHARM.
Other measures include setting clear standards for laboratory turnaround times, maintaining strategic reserves of essential medical supplies and establishing multidisciplinary epidemic-readiness teams at federal and state levels.
The Academy also recommended a dedicated framework to protect healthcare workers through improved infection prevention and control, occupational safety measures and psychological support.
To strengthen public confidence during outbreaks, it called for coordinated public education campaigns to tackle misinformation, alongside rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for survivors.
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It further proposed an annual National Epidemic Preparedness Scorecard to measure progress, assess institutional performance and promote accountability among relevant agencies.
According to the Academy, community pharmacies could serve as an important early-warning channel because pharmacists are often among the first healthcare professionals approached by people experiencing symptoms such as fever and weakness.
Under a proposed sentinel surveillance pilot, participating pharmacists would receive reporting guidelines, referral procedures and instructions on recognising potential public health threats.
“The initiative would not authorise pharmacists to diagnose Ebola but would strengthen early recognition, referral and notification,” the Academy said.
The organisation also outlined a 90-day implementation plan involving a national preparedness assessment, mapping of laboratory referral pathways, inventories of emergency medical supplies, healthcare worker training and development of the preparedness scorecard.
It urged the government to make epidemic preparedness funding dependent on measurable results and verified operational capacity rather than focusing solely on the procurement of equipment and supplies.
The Academy commended the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the NCDC for their ongoing work in disease surveillance, laboratory preparedness, infection prevention and control, and public communication.
It clarified that its proposals were designed to strengthen existing government efforts rather than duplicate the mandates of public health institutions.
Warning that Nigeria must not wait for another outbreak before evaluating its response capacity, the Academy stressed the need for continuous preparedness and coordination.
“We must not wait for the first imported case to discover whether our surveillance systems, laboratories, emergency supplies, healthcare workforce, and response structures are ready.
“Preparedness is not panic. Preparedness is foresight, competence, coordination and national responsibility. Above all, preparedness saves lives.
“We urge Nigerians to rely on verified public health information, seek medical attention promptly when necessary, disclose relevant travel and exposure histories to healthcare professionals, and avoid spreading rumours or stigmatising suspected patients,” the statement added.