House Probes N10bn Ebola Emergency Fund, Questions States’ Readiness

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives has declared that it would investigate the management of emergency health funds, inter-agency coordination, and the preparedness of state governments following the confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria. Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at a one-day public hearing on the Ebola outbreak, organised by the joint Committees on Infectious Diseases, Healthcare Services, Aviation and Interior.

Abbas, who was represented by Hon. Billy Osawaru, said the Green Chamber would scrutinise inter-agency coordination and whether emergency funds were released promptly and spent transparently.

He stated the recent Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa and the imported case in Nigeria had underscored the need to strengthen the country’s public health security architecture, saying public health security is inseparable from national security.

While commending the federal government’s response through the activation of emergency mechanisms, heightened surveillance, contact tracing, establishment of a presidential task force, and approval of emergency funding, the speaker warned against complacency.

He recalled that the 2014 Ebola experience proved that early detection and effective coordination determined whether an outbreak would be contained or escalated.

Abbas stated, “The fact that the confirmed imported case has been evacuated and no onward transmission has been established should strengthen our resolve to prevent a recurrence, rather than diminish our sense of urgency.

“The hearing will assess whether surveillance systems can detect threats early, whether laboratories and isolation centres are equipped, whether health workers have adequate training and protective gear, and whether airports and border communities are adequately covered by screening.

“Disease containment cannot be the responsibility of the federal government alone. It requires a coordinated national response in which every tier of government understands its obligations and possesses the capacity to fulfil them.”

The speaker urged accurate public communication to check misinformation, stressing that there are currently no active Ebola cases in the country and the hearing is not meant to cause panic.

Earlier, Chairman of the Joint Committee, Hon. Amobi Ogah, said the October outbreak reports generated widespread anxiety among Nigerians, prompting enquiries from constituents and lawmakers.

Ogah, who recalled the physical, psychological, and economic toll of the 2014 outbreak, said the vulnerability of international airports as entry points for infectious diseases must be addressed.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for promptly setting up the Presidential Task Force and releasing N10 billion for containment efforts.

Ogah also lauded the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) for coordinating the national response.

In her submission, Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, said custodial centres needed special attention in Ebola preparedness due to population density, shared facilities, and frequent human interactions.

Nwakuche stated that an outbreak in correctional facilities could have serious consequences for inmates, personnel, visitors, and surrounding communities.

He called for improved medical infrastructure, protective equipment, trained personnel, isolation spaces, and medical transportation.

Nwakuche urged the federal government to integrate custodial centres into national and sub-national public health emergency plans, with dedicated funding, regular training, and improved referral arrangements.