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The Lagos State Government has said it has stepped up preparation for a possible Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak as health authorities step up vigilance following the expansion of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has become the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country.
Government data showed the outbreak had recorded 6,041 confirmed cases and 2,911 deaths as of August 31, surpassing the DRC’s previous worst Ebola outbreak, which lasted from 2018 to 2020.
The outbreak has hit six of the DRC’s 26 provinces, with Ituri province in the northeast remaining the epicentre. As of Aug. 26, the province had recorded 4,802 confirmed cases, which represents a substantial portion of the cases recorded across the country.
The scale of the outbreak has heightened concerns about the need to strengthen preparedness and surveillance in countries with significant international connections, including Nigeria.
Against this backdrop, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, on Tuesday conducted a strategic assessment of the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), popularly known as Continent Hospital, Yaba.
Abayomi said the inspection is part of the Lagos State Ministry of Health’s efforts to strengthen the state’s health security system and ensure that critical facilities are fully prepared to respond quickly to any outbreak of high-consequence diseases.
According to him, the assessment focused on the critical infrastructure, diagnostic capacity and clinical support systems required for the effective detection, isolation, management and containment of infectious diseases.
The commissioner conducted the inspection alongside the hospital’s medical director, Dr Adejumo, and other key members of staff.
During the exercise, officials inspected the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), laboratory equipment, oxygen supply infrastructure, triage and isolation areas, as well as ongoing works on the external site.
Abayomi said the inspection was necessary to ensure the facility could operate smoothly in the event of an infectious disease outbreak with serious consequences.
“We have thoroughly inspected the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), laboratory equipment, oxygen supply infrastructure, triage and isolation areas and external site works to ensure perfect functionality during a high-consequence epidemic,” he said.
The commissioner said the assessment identified immediate maintenance needs in several critical areas of the hospital. He listed the areas as EOC, biobank, pharmacy, catering facilities and drainage networks.
Abayomi said addressing the identified maintenance needs would help uphold biosafety standards and ensure the hospital remains capable of providing adequate care to patients during a public health emergency.
He stressed that the inspection was part of broader efforts to strengthen Lagos State’s health security architecture and improve its capacity to respond to emerging and re-emerging threats to public health.
“The Ministry remains committed to strengthening the health security architecture of Lagos State and maintaining maximum operational readiness to safeguard public health,” he said.
Ebola virus disease is a serious viral disease that can spread through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person or animal.
Rapid detection, isolation, contact tracing and rigorous infection prevention and control measures are key to preventing transmission.
The latest outbreak in the DRC has taken on significant proportions, with over 6,000 confirmed cases and almost 3,000 deaths recorded as of 31 August.
It has spread to six of the country’s 26 provinces, with Ituri remaining the worst-hit area.
The current outbreak has now surpassed the previous record-breaking Ebola outbreak in the DRC, which occurred between 2018 and 2020, requiring intensified response efforts and increased vigilance beyond affected areas.
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