By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Federal Government has reaffirmed that Nigeria remains free of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) while stepping up measures to strengthen the country’s preparedness against any possible outbreak through enhanced communication, diplomacy and international collaboration.
This was the focus of the inaugural meeting of the Communication, Diplomacy and International Engagement Sub-committee of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease, held on Thursday in Abuja.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, who serves as Deputy Chairman of the sub-committee, while the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, chairs the committee.
Representatives of key Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners and professional bodies, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Border Communities Development Agency, attended the meeting.
Speaking at the session, Idris said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu established the Presidential Task Force, led by the Chief of Staff to the President, to coordinate Nigeria’s preparedness against Ebola and other emerging public health threats.
He stressed that although there is no confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria, the NCDC has classified the risk of disease importation as high due to regional movement of people and international travel.
According to him, surveillance has been intensified at the country’s entry points, health facilities have been placed on heightened alert, and nationwide preparedness measures have been strengthened. He added that all public information on Ebola would be based on scientific evidence validated by the NCDC to prevent misinformation and unnecessary panic.
Enikanolaiye commended President Tinubu for establishing the task force before any confirmed Ebola case was recorded in the country, describing early preparedness and preventive diplomacy as essential tools for effective national crisis management.
He reaffirmed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to supporting Nigeria’s response through sustained engagement with neighbouring countries, international organizations and the country’s diplomatic missions abroad.
The minister said the ministry would continue to facilitate information sharing, strengthen regional cooperation and promote coordinated international responses to emerging public health threats.
He added that effective diplomatic engagement would help safeguard Nigeria’s international image while ensuring accurate information on the country’s public health status is communicated globally.
The committee identified several priority areas, including the development of a harmonized national risk communication strategy, coordinated public messaging across government agencies, production of standard public information materials, translation of health messages into major Nigerian languages, enhanced media engagement and rapid response to misinformation and fake news.
Members also agreed to adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach by involving traditional and religious leaders, educational institutions, transport unions, market associations, women and youth groups, civil society organizations and community leaders in nationwide awareness campaigns.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment to strengthen Nigeria’s Ebola preparedness through coordinated communication, public enlightenment and stakeholder engagement, while reassuring Nigerians that there is no cause for panic and urging them to observe good hygiene practices, report suspected symptoms promptly and rely only on verified information from official government sources.
