In a measure to contain the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) following a confirmed case in the Federal Capital Territory, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said he has directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to place 46 persons identified as contacts of an Ebola-affected patient on a no-fly list for at least 21 days.
The minister disclosed the directives in a statement posted on his verified X account following a virtual meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
Keyamo said he has also ordered FAAN to strengthen Ebola surveillance and response protocols across all international airports, including enhanced health screening, temperature checks and travel history monitoring.
According to Keyamo, the health minister provided a list of 44 persons who came into contact with an affected female patient at a hospital after she developed symptoms of Ebola, alongside two members of her domestic staff.
“This evening, I held a virtual meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate over the Ebola scourge,” Keyamo stated.
“He shared with me a list of 44 persons with whom the affected person came in contact at the hospital when she had developed the symptoms and an additional two persons who are her domestic staff.”
He explained that aviation authorities were required to prevent the individuals from travelling by air for at least 21 days, corresponding to the period within which Ebola symptoms may develop following exposure.
“Whilst efforts are ongoing to isolate them for now until there is certainty they had not been infected with the virus, the Aviation authorities are required to put them on a no-fly list for at least 21 days (which is the period that the symptoms are normally expected to manifest),” he said.
Keyamo disclosed that he had directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to immediately notify domestic and international airlines of the restriction.
“I have therefore directed the NCAA to immediately inform all local and international airlines of this development,” he stated.
The minister also instructed FAAN to intensify health surveillance and Ebola response measures at international airports nationwide.
According to him, the airport authority has already introduced enhanced health screening, temperature checks, travel history tracking and digital health declarations.
“I have also directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to heighten Ebola response and surveillance protocols across all international airports,” he said.
“Measures already being implemented by FAAN include enhanced health screenings, temperature checks, travel history tracking, digital health declarations, and strict inter-agency coordination with the NCDC following regional outbreak alerts earlier.”
The minister’s statement did not identify the affected patient, disclose the location of the hospital where the contacts occurred or specify whether the infection was contracted within Nigeria.
It also did not indicate that any of the 46 identified contacts had tested positive for Ebola.
FAAN Heightens Vigilance Across Airports
The development came after FAAN, on Wednesday, said it was maintaining heightened vigilance across airport operations.
It said it is working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Port Health Services, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other relevant agencies to support ongoing containment efforts.
The agency stated that early identification of the case and commencement of contact tracing underscore the importance of established public health protocols, effective surveillance and inter-agency collaboration in responding to potential health threats.
“FAAN is maintaining heightened vigilance across airport operations and will continue to coordinate with public health authorities, align its response with further guidance and support additional measures considered necessary to safeguard passengers, airport personnel and the wider public,” it said in a statement by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire.
It urged passengers, airport users, airlines and other stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with health officials.
“The public is also advised to rely on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports,” it added. “FAAN reassures the travelling public of its continued readiness to work with relevant agencies to protect public health and support the safe operation of Nigeria’s airports.”
The Federal Government confirmed a case of the virus in the FCT on Wednesday.
FG Assures Nigerians Of Containment Strategies
The Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats has assured Nigerians it can handle Ebola in the country.
The Chairman of the Task Force and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said this while speaking to newsmen after the group’s emergency meeting at the State House on Wednesday.
Gbajabiamila said the Task Force has been working behind the scenes since it was inaugurated in June this year. He added that this is why it was easy to detect the index case discovered yesterday.
“It’s very important to note this. Since the issue of Ebola came up in June, there have been about 44, 000 flights in and out of Nigeria. So, it’s because of what the Ministry of Health, the task force and all the agencies have been doing. All hands have been on deck.
“The passenger with the disease showed no symptoms, which came four days after the woman got into Abuja, and it was the identification process and the protocols that were put in place that enabled the quick identification. That also speaks to the country’s capacity and ability to deal with this disease as best as we can,” he said, according to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
He assured Nigerians that the Task Force would strengthen whatever needed strengthening, the protocols, and ensure more rigorous enforcement moving forward.
“The Task Force is on top of it. NCDC is on top of it; everyone is on deck. We must build community trust and avoid panic, but it’s also important to state clearly that this is a collaborative effort between the government and the people.
He appealed to all Nigerians to respond to calls for compliance for the good of all.
‘Nigeria Has Competent Health Authorities’
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, said Nigeria has competent health authorities, including private hospital operators and agencies, Immigration, Aviation, Interior, and subnational actors, who have put surveillance systems in place across the country, ready to respond.
“We have been conducting contact tracing diligently and isolating those contacts of the index imported case in this country. We will continue to do that, and we want to reassure Nigerians that the federal government, alongside its technical partners, the World Health Organisation, the Africa Centre for Disease Control, and our own Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, have activated the incident management system across the various pillars.
“They are working day and night diligently, and our hospital capabilities are also activated, such that we can aim to contain this case, as has been the case in other countries, but we will not relent. Our population should respect public health directives.”
“Most of our states have adequate response plans. We have the resources, and we’re mobilising those capabilities. And we’re also confident that if we continue on this path, we should be able to dent this outbreak.”
He urged citizens to avoid misinformation while combating the virus.
“The key also for the population is to avoid spreading misinformation or baseless rumours, which can cause unnecessary panic. The Task Force leadership has met. WHO and Africa CDC are working closely with the team.
“In addition to our exceptional public health physicians who had successfully tamed this virus in 2014 and had contributed to other countries, we are confident that if we continue in this direction, we will emerge out of this crisis in a much stronger place,” Pate assured.
Other members of the committee at the meeting were the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Bunmi Kuku; General Manager (FAAN), Adamu Adamu; WHO Representative, Pavel Ursu; Special Regional Representative to the Director General, Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Aliko Ahmed.
