Health
Lagos issues hotels, clubs, establishments preventive hygiene guidelines against Ebola outbreak
The Lagos State Safety Commission has directed hotels, nightclubs, event centres, lounges, restaurants and other hospitality businesses across the state to strengthen hygiene and safety measures following the Ebola outbreak reported in parts of Central and East Africa.
The commission, however, stressed that there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola in Lagos or anywhere in Nigeria, noting that the advisory is a precautionary measure aimed at protecting residents and visitors.
The directive comes amid intensified biosecurity screening by the federal government at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport as authorities seek to prevent the importation of the virus.
The latest advisory also follows recent efforts by Lagos health authorities to assess the state’s preparedness for any potential outbreak.
Officials have inspected screening and emergency response facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, saying the exercise was aimed at strengthening surveillance and ensuring rapid response capacity while maintaining that Nigeria has not recorded any Ebola case.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola, said the state’s position as Nigeria’s commercial hub and a major international gateway makes it necessary to adopt proactive measures against potential public health threats.
“The Commission strongly emphasises that there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola within Lagos State or Nigeria; however, the city’s status as a major international travel hub and commercial epicentre necessitates immediate, proactive measures to safeguard residents and visitors alike,” the statement stated.
According to the commission, operators of high-density public venues, including hotels, nightclubs, event centres, lounges and restaurants, should lead efforts to prevent possible transmission because of the close-contact nature of their operations.
To that end, it enjoined all establishments to significantly increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfection routines, utilising hospital-grade disinfectants on all high-touch surfaces such as countertops, door handles, handrails, menus, and payment terminals.
It also urged management teams to properly train front-of-house, housekeeping, and security personnel to recognise early symptoms of illness, implement daily health checks for staff, and enforce a strict stay-at-home policy for any employee exhibiting signs of fever.
The advisory also requires hospitality establishments to designate temporary, well-ventilated isolation areas where patrons or staff who suddenly become seriously ill can be kept safely while awaiting medical evacuation.
In addition, venue operators were advised to manage crowd sizes to prevent excessive overcrowding and ensure adequate ventilation in enclosed spaces.
Mr Mojola called on operators to remain calm, vigilant and fully cooperative, adding that safety inspectors would intensify routine compliance and support visits across the state.
He also directed that any suspected medical emergency involving severe fever or illness should be immediately isolated and reported through the Lagos State health emergency hotlines: 08023169485, 08033565529 or 07000SAFETY.
The advisory follows growing concern over the Ebola outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa. According to an NBC report, more than 40 people have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, where health authorities and international aid agencies are working to contain the spread of the disease.
The World Health Organisation has described the current Bundibugyo strain of the virus as “a severe and often fatal form” of Ebola.
The WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 43 confirmed deaths across the two countries as of 30 May, comprising 42 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one in Uganda. The agencies also said 349 suspected deaths had been recorded.
READ ALSO: WHO raises Ebola risk level as DRC outbreak worsens, reports new hantavirus cases
According to the WHO, Ebola is believed to originate from fruit bats and can spread to humans through contact with bodily fluids or secretions from infected wildlife.
Nigeria’s response is informed by its successful containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which began after an infected traveller arrived in Lagos and was halted through aggressive surveillance, contact tracing and public health interventions.
Health authorities say the experience strengthened the country’s disease surveillance and emergency response systems, which are now being deployed as a precaution against the latest regional outbreak.
The Niger State government has launched an investigation into a suspected infectious disease following the death of a child and reports that other members of the same family have fallen ill.
The state Director of Public Health, Ibrahim Idris, disclosed this in a statement issued in Minna on Thursday by the Ministry of Information and Orientation.
Mr Idris said the Ministry of Health responded after a father shared videos on social media alleging that a strange illness had affected members of his household.
He said the swift response demonstrated the state’s commitment to protecting residents through prompt public health action.
He said the prompt intervention reflected the commitment of the Governor Umaru Bago-led administration to safeguarding the health and well-being of residents across the state through timely public health responses.
According to him, every unexplained death deserves a thorough investigation, while every suspected outbreak must be treated with urgency to prevent possible transmission and protect public health.
The director said the affected children had been evacuated to a health facility for comprehensive medical evaluation and treatment as health authorities intensified efforts to determine the cause.
He said preliminary clinical findings suggested that the illness might not be a strange disease but one familiar to medical experts, with diphtheria among the conditions being considered.
“At this stage, no definitive conclusion can be made until laboratory investigations are completed,” he said.
“The samples collected will help determine the exact cause of the illness and guide the response.”
Mr Idris said public health officials had commenced contact tracing in the affected community and in the schools attended by the children to identify similar cases and contain any possible transmission.
He advised parents and caregivers to ensure their children completed all recommended routine immunisation schedules, noting that many life-threatening illnesses could be prevented through vaccination.
The director urged residents to seek prompt medical attention whenever unusual symptoms were observed, stressing that early detection and treatment remained critical to disease control efforts.
Also, Junaidu Inuwa, executive director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NSPHCDA), said preliminary findings showed the deceased child had received only partial immunisation.
He said some of the surviving children were either partially immunised or had not completed their vaccination schedules, exposing them to vaccine-preventable diseases and associated health complications.
ALSO READ: Niger Assembly has no website, limiting residents’ access to information
According to him, the development underscores the critical importance of routine immunisation in protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases and reducing childhood mortality across communities.
Mr Inuwa said health officials also visited the isolation centre at the General Hospital, where affected family members had been placed on appropriate antibiotic treatment and were receiving care.
He said health authorities would continue to provide timely updates as investigations progressed and would intensify surveillance, contact tracing, and other interventions if the illness was confirmed to be infectious.
He reiterated that complete immunisation remained the safest and most effective protection against vaccine-preventable diseases and urged parents to utilise vaccination services available across the state. (NAN)
The federal government has launched development programmes valued at more than $1.07 billion to strengthen primary healthcare, improve governance and education, and accelerate poverty reduction as part of its economic recovery agenda.
The programmes include the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity Governance (HOPE GOV) programme, backed by $500 million, and the Primary Healthcare Provision Strengthening Programme (HOPE PHC), financed with $570 million.
The government also launched the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus Additional Financing (NG CARES AF), the broader HOPE programme comprising HOPE GOV, HOPE PHC and HOPE EDU, and the Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons and Host Communities (SOLID) programme.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu said the initiatives were designed to ensure that the gains from the country’s economic reforms translate into improved living standards for Nigerians.
Mr Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the programmes form part of a coordinated strategy to strengthen human capital development, improve public service delivery and build resilience in communities across the country.
He said the government had recorded improvements in key economic indicators, including GDP growth, foreign reserves and inflation.
He added that about 15 million vulnerable households had benefited from the expanded social transfer programme.
According to him, the HOPE GOV programme will improve governance by strengthening budget planning and supporting the recruitment of teachers and healthcare workers, particularly in underserved communities, while the HOPE PHC programme will improve service delivery at primary healthcare facilities through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
Health reforms
Also speaking, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said the programmes would support the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), the government’s flagship reform agenda for the health sector.
Mr Pate said the initiative was anchored on four pillars: strengthening governance and accountability, improving equitable access to quality healthcare, developing the healthcare value chain, and enhancing health security and resilience.
Highlighting progress made under the reforms, he said the federal government had revitalised 3,026 primary healthcare centres nationwide and supplied maternal and newborn care equipment to 231 secondary hospitals.
He added that 43,417 women and newborns had been transported through rural emergency and maternal transport services, while 42,970 comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care services were provided between October 2024 and March 2026.
Mr Pate said the reforms had also led to increased use of healthcare services, with more women opting to deliver in health facilities.
“The reforms are increasing service utilisation, with more women choosing to give birth in health facilities, reflecting renewed confidence in the health system. They are increasing uptake of essential health services, with more families choosing modern family planning and more children receiving life-saving vaccines,” he said.
READ ALSO: In Adamawa, rural PHCs rely on volunteers due to staffing shortages
World Bank backs programme
The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Matthew Verghis, said the country’s efforts to expand access to quality healthcare had been strengthened through collaboration among the federal, state and local governments, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector.
Mr Verghis said the HOPE PHC programme and the investments supporting it provide an opportunity for Nigeria to improve health outcomes, particularly for mothers, children and vulnerable populations, while strengthening accountability in the health sector.
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