The Lagos State Government has reassured residents that there is no cause for alarm over the evolving Ebola outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa, stressing that the state’s biosecurity and emergency response systems remain fully operational and prepared for any eventuality.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said Lagos has activated its tested disease surveillance and containment structures to ensure rapid detection and response to any biological threat.
Prof. Abayomi stated that no suspected case of Ebola Virus Disease has been identified in Lagos State, noting that the state has built a resilient and outbreak-tested health security framework over the years to tackle infectious diseases such as Ebola, Lassa Fever and Influenza.
He highlighted the Lagos State Incident Command System (ICS), led directly by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Incident Commander, as a major component of the state’s emergency response structure, disclosing that the State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) operates round the clock, carrying out disease surveillance and gathering real-time public health intelligence through trained epidemiologists and disease surveillance specialists.
According to the commissioner, the Lagos Mainland Hospital, also known as the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba, remains on constant alert with infectious disease experts, dedicated triage systems, isolation facilities and intensive care infrastructure capable of managing cases of varying severity.
Abayomi further stated that the state government is working closely with Port Health Authorities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport as well as land and sea entry points in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) and other relevant agencies.
The commissioner said Community Health Workers (CHWs), Community Development Associations (CDAs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have also been integrated into the state’s disease surveillance network to ensure prompt information flow from communities to health authorities, adding that emergency stockpiles, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), gloves and sanitizers, have been strategically positioned across key locations.
He advised residents, especially those who recently travelled to affected areas in Congo or Uganda or had contact with returnees from those countries, to seek medical guidance if necessary. Residents were also encouraged to contact emergency lines 767, 112 or the Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health at the Lagos State Ministry of Health on 08023169485 for assistance and information.
