The Katsina State Government has designated an isolation facility and deployed three emergency ambulances as part of measures to prepare for possible Ebola cases following the reported detection of the disease in Abuja.
The state government said it had also intensified disease surveillance, trained frontline health workers and provided protective equipment to strengthen its response to potential public health emergencies.
The Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu Funtua, disclosed this at a meeting of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee at the Polio Emergency Operations Centre in Katsina.
He said although the state had not recorded any Ebola case, its strategic location and international entry points placed it at moderate risk of importing the disease.
Funtua said the government was working with health authorities at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport and other entry points to strengthen surveillance and identify suspected cases promptly.
He added that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention isolation facility at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, had been designated to manage suspected Ebola cases.
The state has also deployed three fully equipped ambulances to cover its three senatorial zones and support emergency referrals, while frontline health workers are receiving specialised training in infection prevention and control.
The government is collaborating with the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health, Port Health Services, development partners and community leaders to coordinate surveillance and emergency response.
Beyond Ebola preparedness, Funtua said the state was strengthening its response to diphtheria through improved case detection, contact tracing, vaccination and clinical management.
He urged local government authorities and health facilities to report suspected cases promptly, ensure contacts receive appropriate follow-up and maintain adequate supplies of treatment commodities.
The commissioner also called for thorough preparations for the November 2026 polio vaccination campaign, including adequate vaccine supplies, training of vaccination teams, security arrangements and community mobilisation.
He said special attention should be given to underserved, mobile and nomadic populations, as well as communities affected by insecurity, to ensure eligible children are reached.
The meeting brought together representatives of government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders to discuss measures for strengthening the state’s preparedness for public health emergencies.
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