Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has approved an emergency payment of ₦100,000 per person weekly for individuals placed under isolation or quarantine following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Abuja, as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission of the disease.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this on Sunday during a press briefing on the country’s response to the outbreak, explaining that the financial intervention was introduced to ease the burden of feeding, accommodation and family maintenance on people required to undergo public health monitoring.
Idris said the agency had received complaints from some contacts about the financial difficulties associated with complying with isolation and quarantine arrangements, prompting the introduction of the emergency stipend.
He said the government was providing accommodation and feeding support, alongside the weekly payment, to ensure that affected individuals could comply with public health measures without suffering additional financial hardship.
The NCDC chief described the payment as an emergency arrangement that was not originally planned but became necessary under the circumstances.
He added that the agency would continue to review the intervention as the response progressed.
Idris also warned that preparations for public health emergencies should not be left to the Federal Capital Territory alone, stressing that state governments must be financially and logistically prepared to respond to similar outbreaksAccording to him, states must make adequate provisions for contact tracing, isolation facilities and other essential response activities to contain infectious diseases within their jurisdictions.
The intervention comes as Nigeria intensifies surveillance following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Abuja on October 20.
Idris said the country had recorded one confirmed case as of Sunday, with 53 primary contacts identified for monitoring. The contacts include healthcare workers, household members, domestic staff and personnel involved in collecting samples from the patient.
He explained that the contacts were being categorised according to their level of exposure and monitored by public health teams, while anyone who develops symptoms would undergo further assessment and testing.
The NCDC has also established isolation arrangements for contacts requiring them, with health officials monitoring their condition throughout the 21-day incubation period following their last possible exposure.
Idris disclosed that one contact who reported feeling unwell had tested negative, while surveillance and follow-up activities continued.
He said the agency was strengthening infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities, training health personnel and ensuring the availability of protective equipment and laboratory supplies.
The confirmed case involves a woman who travelled to Nigeria from Uganda and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
According to the information provided by health authorities, she developed symptoms on October 7, sought medical attention in Abuja on October 11 and was confirmed positive on October 20.
The World Health Organisation has classified the infection as an imported case, with investigations continuing to establish the likely source of exposure.
The ongoing regional outbreak has also affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya, highlighting the importance of cross-border surveillance, rapid case identification and effective contact tracing.
Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 through early case identification, contact tracing, isolation and coordinated public health action.
Idris said the NCDC was drawing on lessons from that experience to strengthen preparedness and response measures across the country.
He emphasised that containing the current outbreak would require cooperation among government agencies, healthcare workers, affected contacts and members of the public.
The NCDC director-general urged Nigerians to rely on verified information, avoid spreading rumours and cooperate with public health officials carrying out contact tracing and monitoring activities.
