NAPharm Proposes 10-point Plan to Strengthen Ebola Preparedness

Uchechukwu Nnaike

The Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm), has called on the federal government to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness for Ebola Virus Disease and other emerging infectious diseases through a coordinated national epidemic-readiness framework.
The academy said preparedness measures should be institutionalised, regularly assessed and made functional across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement signed by the President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Lere Baale, the academy said the country must move beyond outbreak awareness to measurable national readiness.
The call follows the academy’s policy report titled ‘From Awareness to Readiness: Strengthening Nigeria’s Preparedness for Ebola and Emerging Infectious Disease Emergencies’.
The report draws on discussions at its national webinar on Ebola Preparedness held on August 20, 2026, and the work of its multidisciplinary Task Group on Ebola Virus Disease Resurgence, chaired by Prof. Fola Tayo.
Baale stated that Nigeria’s success in containing Ebola in 2014 should serve as a foundation for stronger preparedness rather than a reason for complacency.
“Nigeria demonstrated extraordinary leadership, professional competence and national coordination in containing Ebola in 2014. However, yesterday’s success does not automatically guarantee tomorrow’s preparedness.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that the capabilities that protected Nigeria in 2014 are institutionalised, continuously strengthened and demonstrably functional across the country,” he said.
The stressed that epidemic preparedness should no longer be treated as an emergency intervention activated only when an outbreak threatens the country. It proposed a continuous national system built around seven interconnected capabilities: anticipate, prevent, detect, respond, recover, learn and improve.
It added that the approach would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to manage Ebola, Lassa fever, cholera and other emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
It commended the federal government, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention for existing preparedness measures, including surveillance, laboratory readiness, infection prevention and control, point-of-entry monitoring, intergovernmental coordination and public communication.
It however said that further action is needed to ensure that existing systems remain functional and effective.
The academy outlined10 priority actions for urgent policy consideration and implementation: Nationwide epidemic-readiness audit; mandatory epidemic simulation exercises; community pharmacy surveillance integration; diagnostic and laboratory turnaround standards; strategic emergency health-commodity reserves.
Others are: multidisciplinary epidemic-readiness teams; healthcare worker protection framework; risk communication and misinformation management; survivor rehabilitation and reintegration; and annual national epidemic preparedness scorecard.
It identified community pharmacies as an important component of Nigeria’s proposed early-warning system for infectious disease threats, adding that community pharmacists are often among the first healthcare professionals consulted by people experiencing fever, weakness and other symptoms that may resemble common infections.
“Under the proposed NCDC–PCN–NAPHARM Community Pharmacy Sentinel Surveillance Pilot, participating pharmacists would receive appropriate case definitions, surveillance protocols, referral pathways and reporting procedures,” it said.
The academy noted that the initiative would not authorise pharmacists to diagnose Ebola, but would strengthen their role in recognising possible warning signs and notifying the appropriate public health authorities. It summarised the proposed approach as: “Recognise. Protect. Refer. Report.”
The academy also stressed the need to protect healthcare workers to sustain an effective epidemic response.
It added that doctors, pharmacists, nurses, medical laboratory professionals, community health practitioners, rehabilitation professionals and other frontline personnel should receive continuous preparedness training, appropriate protective equipment and institutional support.
According to the academy, effective preparedness requires collaboration across professional boundaries and healthcare institutions.
It therefore recommended multidisciplinary readiness teams, coordinated training and periodic simulation exercises reflecting real-life outbreak scenarios.
Beyond the 10 priority actions, the academy proposed an immediate 90-day implementation framework to support government consideration.
The proposed activities include a national functional-readiness audit, laboratory referral mapping, an inventory of emergency health commodities, a community pharmacy surveillance pilot, healthcare worker preparedness programmes and the development of a national epidemic-readiness scorecard.
Longer-term recommendations include preparedness education, stronger surveillance networks, improved supply chain visibility, One Health collaboration and annual public reporting on epidemic readiness.
The academy said that preparedness funding should be tied to measurable outcomes, verified operational capabilities and corrective action rather than procurement alone.
It expressed readiness to collaborate with the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, state health authorities, professional regulatory bodies, healthcare associations, academic institutions, pharmaceutical manufacturers, development partners and community organisations.
It added that the proposed collaboration would support surveillance, pharmaceutical supply security, professional training, public communication, policy research and preparedness measurement without duplicating the statutory responsibilities of existing public health institutions.
The academy urged Nigerians to remain vigilant without panic, rely on verified public health information, disclose relevant travel and exposure histories to healthcare professionals, seek medical attention promptly and avoid spreading rumours or stigmatising suspected patients.
It said that public trust, responsible communication and community cooperation are essential to successful epidemic preparedness.
Baale said Nigeria must translate its experience in containing Ebola in 2014 into lasting institutional capacity.
“Our greatest tribute to the healthcare professionals and institutions that protected Nigeria in 2014 is to build a stronger, more resilient and permanently prepared healthcare system. We must not wait for the first imported case to discover whether our surveillance systems, laboratories, emergency supplies, healthcare workforce, and response structures are ready,” he said.
“Preparedness is not panic. Preparedness is foresight, competence, coordination and national responsibility. Above all, preparedness saves lives.”
The academy reaffirmed its commitment to advancing pharmaceutical sciences, strengthening interprofessional collaboration, supporting evidence-based public health policy and contributing to a more resilient Nigerian healthcare system.