The Kwara State Government has intensified efforts to strengthen its Ebola preparedness and response systems through a sensitisation programme for officials at points of entry into the state.

The exercise, organised by the State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Press Secretary of the Kwara State Ministry of Health, Saad Hamdalat, in Ilorin.

Participants at the meeting included Port Health Officers, Immigration Officers, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), as well as representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and other development partners.

Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Taoheed Abdullahi, said the state government remains committed to preventing the importation and spread of Ebola and other infectious diseases.

“The Kwara State Government is committed to ensuring that Ebola and other infectious diseases do not find their way into our state,” he said.

“This engagement is designed to strengthen coordination among all stakeholders and improve our early warning and response systems.”

Abdullahi explained that the meeting focused on defining the responsibilities of relevant agencies in surveillance, reporting and case management to ensure prompt detection and response to suspected cases.

“We have clarified the roles of every stakeholder to ensure suspected cases are quickly detected, properly reported and referred without delay,” he said.

“All stakeholders must remain vigilant and comply strictly with infection prevention and control guidelines.”

He added that the engagement also provided an opportunity to assess existing preparedness measures, identify gaps and strengthen surveillance mechanisms across the state.

According to him, the Ministry of Health also distributed personal protective equipment (PPE) to Port Health Officers to enhance their safety while carrying out their duties.

“We have supported our Port Health Officers with essential protective equipment to ensure they carry out their duties safely and effectively,” he noted.

In her presentation, the State Epidemiologist, Dr Khadeejah Kamaldeen, described Port Health Officers as critical frontline personnel in disease prevention and control.

“Port Health Officers play a critical role in the early detection of ill travellers, crew members, animals and contaminated goods that may pose health risks,” she said.

“They are responsible for enforcing isolation, quarantine and movement restrictions to prevent further spread of infectious diseases.”

Kamaldeen also stressed the importance of timely reporting of suspected cases to state, national and international health authorities, including the WHO where necessary.

She further noted that Port Health Officers serve as a vital link between public health institutions, customs authorities, laboratories, veterinary services and other relevant agencies.

Also speaking, the State Health Promotion Officer, Mallam Jubril Abdulkarim, said the sensitisation programme was designed to improve awareness about Ebola while strengthening surveillance and early detection systems.

“The objective of this programme is to improve awareness about Ebola and strengthen surveillance and early detection systems,” he said.

He added that the initiative also focuses on infection prevention and control, risk communication, community engagement and cross-border preparedness.