Abayomi Heads Ebola Preparedness Inspection in Lagos

Ayodeji Ake

Lagos State Government stepped up its efforts to stop Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) from entering Nigeria over the weekend. Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, led a high‑profile delegation that inspected and toured the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos amid rising concerns about the resurgence of Ebola in East African countries.

The delegation included Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide; Director, Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, Dr. Ismail Abdus‑Salam; and strategic leads from the Lagos State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC). They were received by the Airport Manager and Regional General Manager, South‑West MMIA, Mr. Olatokunbo Arewa, along with key airport health and aviation officials.

During the visit, the teams reviewed current operational frameworks, passenger movement systems, infection prevention and control measures, emergency preparedness protocols, and opportunities for stronger collaboration to protect Lagos and Nigeria from Ebola and other public‑health threats.

Speaking at the engagement, Commissioner Abayomi recalled Nigeria’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014, when the disease was first imported into Lagos. He described that experience as one of the most important public‑health lessons in the nation’s history.

“Almost 11 years ago, we experienced the importation of Ebola into Lagos from Liberia during the largest Ebola outbreak in recorded history. We were able to contain what became a relatively small outbreak in Lagos, thanks to the sacrifices of dedicated healthcare workers, including the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh,” he said.

The commissioner noted that the memory of that outbreak serves as a reminder that preparedness must remain a constant priority. He added that highly consequential infectious diseases such as Ebola, COVID‑19, and Lassa fever continue to pose significant threats because of increased global travel and interconnectedness.

He stressed that lessons learned during the COVID‑19 pandemic reinforced the importance of close collaboration between Lagos State and federal agencies at the country’s busiest international gateway, helping establish one of the nation’s most effective passenger surveillance and monitoring systems.

Abayomi described MMIA as Nigeria’s most critical point of entry, accounting for about 70 % of international passenger traffic into the country, and therefore representing the most likely route for imported infections.

“The primary purpose of our visit is to understand how we can support your efforts, identify existing gaps, and jointly develop practical solutions. Our objective is to create a bottleneck for the virus, not for passengers,” he stated.

The commissioner said Lagos State was particularly interested in strengthening systems for early detection, rapid isolation, and safe evacuation of suspected cases, while also improving digital monitoring and follow‑up mechanisms for travellers arriving from countries of concern.

He further advocated exploring measures that would minimise interaction between passengers arriving from designated high‑risk locations and other travellers, while maintaining efficient passenger flow through the airport.

Also speaking, Special Adviser Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi emphasised that disease prevention and control require collective responsibility and sustained collaboration among all levels of government and health stakeholders.

She said the visit was not only intended to assess preparedness measures but also to reassure frontline personnel working at the airport that they have the support of the Lagos State Government in protecting public health.

“The frontline actually begins here at our ports of entry. As passengers arrive, you are among the very first people to interact with them, making your role critical in our disease surveillance and response efforts,” she said.

Ogunyemi conveyed the goodwill of Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu to airport personnel and described health security as a vital component of national security, stressing that the Ebola threat deserves the same level of attention accorded to other major security concerns.

Permanent Secretary Dr. Dayo Lajide expressed appreciation to the management of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Port Health Services, FAAN, NCAA, and other airport agencies for the warm reception accorded the Lagos State delegation.

She commended the strong spirit of collaboration demonstrated by all stakeholders and noted that such partnerships remain critical to strengthening the state’s preparedness and response to public‑health threats, particularly diseases of international concern such as Ebola Virus Disease.

Lajide also paid tribute to frontline workers across the airport ecosystem for their dedication, vigilance, and professionalism in safeguarding the nation’s borders against infectious diseases.

She urged them to remain steadfast in adhering strictly to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols, emphasising that protecting themselves is an essential part of protecting travellers, airport personnel, and the country at large.

“As frontline responders, your safety is paramount. Continue to follow all IPC measures diligently because while you are protecting Nigeria from potential health threats, you must also ensure that you are protected from exposure and risk,” she said.

Earlier, Airport Manager and Regional General Manager, South‑West MMIA, Mr. Olatokunbo Arewa welcomed the Lagos State delegation and reiterated the airport’s commitment to ensuring that Ebola does not gain entry into Nigeria through the country’s busiest aviation gateway.

He disclosed that the airport had already commenced the deployment of additional preparedness infrastructure, including touchless hand‑sanitiser dispensing systems and temperature‑detection equipment, while plans were underway to further strengthen screening operations.

Arewa noted that MMIA’s longstanding collaboration with Lagos State Government dates back to the COVID‑19 era and expressed confidence that the partnership would continue to play a pivotal role in responding to emerging public‑health threats.

“We would like this collaboration to continue, particularly in emergency response. Ebola is a highly dangerous disease, and any suspected case must be isolated quickly and professionally to prevent transmission,” he said.

The airport manager further revealed that authorities were exploring the possibility of establishing dedicated arrival processing channels for passengers arriving from high‑risk countries as part of efforts to enhance surveillance and screening activities.

Providing an update on airport preparedness, the Head of Port Health Services at MMIA, Dr. Lawal Abdullahi, disclosed that the airport had reviewed and updated its Public Health Emergency Contingency Plan as far back as March 18, 2026, ahead of the recent Ebola developments in East Africa.

He explained that the Airport Public Health Emergency Management Team had since been activated and that a comprehensive risk assessment had been conducted to identify countries of concern and guide surveillance measures at the airport.

According to Abdullahi, Port Health Services developed and deployed a passenger screening mechanism before the activation of the national health declaration platform, while relevant information gathered from travellers was routinely shared with Lagos State epidemiology and surveillance teams.

He added that discussions were ongoing regarding improved access to passenger surveillance information by state authorities to strengthen follow‑up activities and ensure seamless coordination between national and sub‑national public‑health institutions.

The General Manager, Aviation Medical Services, Federal Airport Authority (FAAN), Dr. Bilkis Ibrahim, assured the delegation that collaboration among FAAN, Port Health Services, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, and other airport stakeholders remained strong, with continuous information sharing and coordinated planning efforts.

She disclosed that additional personal protective equipment, awareness materials, multilingual public‑health messages, and staff training programmes were being deployed to strengthen preparedness and ensure airport personnel remain fully informed and equipped.

Similarly, the Aeromedical Assessor of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Abayomi Asunbo, announced that the NCAA had issued directives requiring all airlines operating designated routes to comply fully with public‑health protocols before passengers are permitted into Nigeria.

Also speaking, Head of Department, Medical Services, MMIA, Dr. Uche Ofoegbu, said airport stakeholders had intensified sensitisation activities, awareness campaigns, and dissemination of educational materials to ensure all personnel understand their roles in surveillance, infection prevention, isolation, and emergency response.

The inspection tour ended with a walkthrough of key airport facilities and screening points, during which Lagos State officials, airport authorities, and federal agencies reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration, information sharing, and coordinated preparedness measures to ensure that Lagos, Nigeria, and all travellers passing through MMIA remain protected from the threat of Ebola and other infectious‑disease outbreaks.