By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
SCREENING and SURVEILLANCE have intensified across all entry points in Nigeria following the resurgence of Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Director of Port Health Services at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Akpan Nse, confirmed the measures on Friday, disclosing that more health officers had been deployed to strengthen border monitoring.
Health officials in the DRC have promptly declared an outbreak in Kasai Province, where, as of 5 September 2025, 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths had been recorded, including four health workers.
The National Institute of Biomedical Research (NIBR) in Kinshasa confirmed the outbreak as Ebola Zaire, a known strain of the virus, after tests conducted on 3 September.
Dr. Nse explained that Nigeria was at risk due to frequent travel between the two countries but emphasised that Port Health Services had reinforced its defences.
“We have intensified surveillance at all points of entry across the country — airports, land borders, and seaports. Every inbound traveller coming from Congo to Nigeria is thoroughly screened, and we collect their medical history through mandatory forms.
“We have also reactivated our portals. Every passenger on every flight coming to Nigeria from Congo is screened upon arrival. This applies to airports, seaports, and land borders. Even if passengers transit through Congo on their way to Nigeria, they must undergo screening,” he stated.
He added that the government had recruited additional health workers with support from the World Health Organization, while private partners were assisting in maintaining thermal scanners at airports.
“Increasing the workforce allows us to effectively prevent the importation of the virus and ensure thorough screening at all borders,” he said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it had released $500,000 from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to aid the DRC response.
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also told journalists that the agency was supporting rapid response teams with expertise in surveillance, infection prevention, treatment, and risk communication.
“WHO has also delivered personal protective equipment, laboratory equipment, medical supplies, and a mobile laboratory. We had previously prepositioned 2,000 doses of Ebola vaccine in Kinshasa, which we are releasing to vaccinate contacts and health workers.
“This is the 16th outbreak of Ebola in the DRC, and the government has rich experience from those previous outbreaks,” he said.
Nigeria’s medical community has urged vigilance.
Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases and Genomics at Adeleke University, Osun State, Oladipo Kolawole, called for stronger coordination among agencies.
“Everybody coming into the country, especially from DR Congo, must declare where they are coming from at the point of entry, and we must keep our surveillance system well-tightened,” he said, while expressing confidence in Nigeria’s preparedness through existing structures at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Nigeria Institute for Medical Research.
Dr. Moses Adewumi of the Department of Virology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, stressed that early detection remained critical. “We can’t stop people from travelling, but we need to ensure that surveillance is tightened.
“We must be deliberate about monitoring points of entry, especially airports and land borders, so that no suspected case slips through undetected. Early detection is the key to prevention,” he stated.
Head of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Dr. Iorhen Akase, explained that Ebola is only contagious when symptoms are present, but urged strong community vigilance.
“The government should monitor the borders closely, and communities should also play their part.
“If you have somebody in your community who is ill, let them go to the hospital. Anybody who is symptomatic, let them just go to the hospital to be checked,” he said.
The DRC last battled Ebola in April 2022 in Equateur Province, a flare-up that was brought under control within three months.
Kasai previously experienced outbreaks in 2007 and 2008. Since the disease was first identified in 1976, the country has faced 15 outbreaks.
The current situation coincides with multiple health emergencies in Central and West Africa, including cholera, malnutrition, and mass displacement.
