Nigerian Scientists Raise Fresh Alarm Over Ebola Border Risk

LAGOS — Nigerian medical scientists have raised a fresh alarm over the risk of Ebola entering the country through its borders. They warn that Nigeria’s porous land borders and under-equipped rural health facilities create dangerous gaps in the country’s defences against the ongoing DRC and Uganda outbreak.

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria issued a statement on Tuesday calling for urgent action. The association said standard surveillance at major airports is not enough. It said most Ebola entry risk comes through informal land border crossings that have limited or no health screening.

Association President Casimir Ifeanyi said the government must act now rather than wait for a case to emerge. “In 2014, Nigeria detected Ebola early because of strong action. We need that same level of urgency today,” Ifeanyi said.

The current Ebola outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain, which is different from the better-known Zaire strain. Bundibugyo Ebola has a lower fatality rate but is still extremely dangerous and can spread rapidly in settings with poor infection control.

Nigeria’s Vulnerabilities

Nigeria shares no direct land border with DRC or Uganda. However, travellers from those countries frequently transit through other African nations before arriving in Nigeria. Informal border crossings in states like Cross River, Benue, and Kebbi see thousands of daily movements with minimal health checks.

In addition, many of Nigeria’s rural hospitals still lack functioning isolation units, personal protective equipment, and trained staff for haemorrhagic fever management. If an Ebola case arrived in a rural community, detection could take days. By then, transmission to healthcare workers and family members could have already occurred.

Furthermore, Nigeria’s experience with the 2014 Ebola outbreak showed that rapid containment is possible with political will and strong coordination. However, experts say the country’s health system has not been significantly strengthened since then. Funding gaps and staffing shortages remain persistent problems.

Government Actions So Far

The NCDC has activated enhanced surveillance at airports and is coordinating with state health ministries. It has also reminded all health facilities to follow standard infection prevention and control protocols. Rapid response teams are on standby in several states.

However, scientists say more is needed. They want the government to deploy mobile screening units to major informal border crossings. They also want emergency funding released to restock Ebola-specific PPE in hospitals across all 36 states.

The Federal Ministry of Health said it is working with the NCDC on a full preparedness review. Officials say a briefing on Nigeria’s Ebola readiness will be presented to the Federal Executive Council before the end of the week.