Medical laboratory expert Stephen Oricha has warned that healthcare workers face increased exposure to Ebola without adequate protective equipment and strict infection prevention measures in health facilities.
Oricha, Deputy Director, Medical Laboratory, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
NAN reports that Nigeria confirmed an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in Abuja on Oct. 20, involving a woman who recently travelled from Uganda.
Oricha said infected healthcare workers could expose other patients to the virus, emphasising that protecting medical personnel was critical to containing the disease and preventing further transmission across communities.
He urged the government to ensure adequate supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including hand gloves and sanitisers, in health facilities nationwide, particularly at the grassroots level where resources were limited.
“As healthcare workers, we must exercise caution when attending to patients; we must ensure that preventive measures are taken.
“We must be careful how we treat every patient right now; we treat everyone as a suspect, but we do not want to result in stigmatisation,” he said.
Oricha explained that such precautions were necessary to minimise exposure while healthcare workers attended to patients whose infection status might not yet be known during routine clinical assessments.
He emphasised that protective equipment should not be restricted to major government hospitals, noting that healthcare workers in local facilities also required adequate protection against possible infection.
According to him, hand gloves should be readily available in all health facilities to protect medical personnel and patients during routine examinations, procedures and other healthcare delivery activities.
Oricha urged Nigerians to remain calm, practise good personal hygiene and seek medical attention promptly when experiencing symptoms that could indicate an infection, while avoiding panic and misinformation.
He explained that Ebola spreads through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person, urging the public to avoid direct contact with such fluids.
The expert said early reporting of suspected cases was essential for timely medical intervention, effective contact tracing and the prevention of further transmission within communities and healthcare facilities.
He called for adequate health sector funding to strengthen preparedness, arguing that emergency response systems should be established before outbreaks rather than activated only when diseases threatened public health.
“Preparation is not when there is an outbreak. It is something you do before an outbreak.
“In June, the government released some amount of money; they need to account for the funds reportedly released to strengthen preparedness.
“As a people, we should call the government to demonstrate how the resources had improved the capacity of health facilities to respond to emergencies,” he said.
Oricha urged policymakers to prioritise healthcare funding and ensure budgetary allocations translated into improved services, functional emergency response systems and adequate protection for healthcare workers nationwide.
He described healthcare as fundamental to national productivity, warning that inadequate investment could undermine Nigeria’s ability to protect its population and maintain essential services during public health emergencies.
He said that a sick nation could never be productive, emphasising the importance of a functional healthcare system in supporting national development and safeguarding citizens during infectious disease outbreaks.
The medical laboratory expert expressed concern that Nigeria might not have fully applied lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, in spite of gaining considerable experience in managing infectious disease outbreaks and emergencies.
He said that some isolation centres and laboratories established or strengthened during the pandemic remained in existence, but questioned their current functionality and readiness to respond effectively to Ebola.
“Nigeria certainly gained experience during COVID-19, but I do not know if it learned from the lessons and prepared against future occurrences.
“The presence of buildings and equipment alone does not guarantee preparedness; many of the isolation and testing laboratory facilities need to be activated, become functional and ready for immediate use.
“The government should urgently assess existing facilities, reactivate suitable laboratories and ensure that testing capacity is available in strategic locations across the country,” he said.
Oricha called for stronger emergency response capacity around international airports and other strategic locations to support early detection, prompt intervention and containment of the Ebola virus.
He said the government, healthcare institutions, workers and individuals all had responsibilities in preventing the spread of infectious diseases through vigilance, adherence to safety measures and timely reporting.
Oricha urged Nigerians to draw on the country’s experience in managing previous outbreaks without allowing fear or misinformation to undermine public health efforts and disease prevention measures.
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