ABUJA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday approved the establishment of a presidential task force on Ebola preparedness and emerging public health threats, amid concerns over the possible importation of the disease into the country.
Tinubu also approved the immediate release of 10 billion naira (about 7.35 million U.S. dollars) in emergency funding to strengthen the operational readiness of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and support national public health response efforts, according to a statement from the presidency.
The task force is expected to assess Nigeria's preparedness and develop response strategies following recent Ebola outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
As part of the measures announced, all states hosting international airports and border entry points have been directed to submit preparedness plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for coordinated implementation.
The government will also intensify passenger screening at international airports, strengthen monitoring of travelers arriving on high-risk routes, and activate referral and isolation centers at international airports in Lagos and Abuja.
Additional measures include the use of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for travelers from designated high-risk countries, enhanced sanitation procedures at airport facilities, and closer coordination with aviation, security and diplomatic authorities.
With a population of more than 242 million, Nigeria is Africa's most populous country. Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014. At the time, the World Health Organization said the country's response demonstrated that the disease could be contained.
