The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says travellers arriving from countries with active or relevant Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) transmission may be required to complete Health Declaration Forms as part of enhanced surveillance measures.
The agency disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the advisory followed the evolving epidemiological situation surrounding the ongoing EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The NCDC said Nigeria was reviewing its public health measures based on dynamic risk assessments and consultations with relevant stakeholders.
According to the agency, passengers arriving from countries with active or relevant EVD transmission may be required to complete Health Declaration Forms to support surveillance, risk assessment, contact follow-up and early detection of suspected cases.
It, however, said travellers arriving from all other countries were currently exempt from completing the form, reflecting Nigeria’s risk-based approach to strengthening border health measures.
The NCDC said the measures followed consultations with public health experts and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to ensure that Nigeria’s preparedness and response remained proportionate to identified risks.
The agency urged members of the public to remain vigilant for symptoms associated with EVD, particularly travellers who may have been exposed to the virus.
It advised anyone who develops symptoms to seek medical attention promptly and urged individuals with relevant travel or exposure history to provide accurate information to healthcare workers and public health authorities.
The NCDC noted that timely reporting, contact follow-up and early detection remained critical components of effective surveillance and response.
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The agency said preparatory activities were ongoing in line with the evolving epidemiological situation, adding that the measures would be reviewed as new epidemiological information became available and Nigeria’s risk assessment was updated.
The NCDC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerians through evidence-based surveillance, preparedness and response measures, while working with national and international partners to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect and respond to emerging health threats.
It said implementation of the measures involved collaboration among the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Port Health Services, Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
The agency added that state ministries of health were also part of the coordinated response, while international partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), continued to support preparedness and response efforts.
