The Lagos State Government has advocated measures that would reduce interaction between passengers arriving from high-risk countries and other travellers, while maintaining efficient airport operations.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Sunday, said the move was critical as the state steps up surveillance and preparedness measures at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) to prevent the transmission of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into Nigeria.
This, he said, was crucial as concerns grew over the resurgence of the deadly viral infection in parts of Central and East Africa.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the move comes amid heightened vigilance by health authorities following reports of Ebola outbreaks in affected African countries, prompting Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub and principal international gateway, to reinforce its biosecurity architecture against potential cross-border transmission.
Leading a high-level delegation on an inspection and preparedness tour of MMIA, Abayomi said Lagos could not afford to be complacent given its position as the country’s busiest entry point and its experience during Nigeria’s historic Ebola outbreak in 2014.
The delegation were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Dayo Lajide.
Other delegates included the Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, Dr Ismail Abdus-Salam; and senior officials of the Lagos State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC).
The team was received by airport authorities led by the Airport Manager and Regional General Manager, South-West MMIA, Mr Olatokunbo Arewa, alongside officials from Port Health Services, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other agencies.
During the inspection, both teams reviewed passenger movement systems, disease surveillance mechanisms, infection prevention and control procedures, emergency response plans and opportunities for stronger collaboration between state and federal authorities.
