FG Releases N21.2 Million Ebola Preparedness Fund to States
The Federal Government has approved the release of N21.2 million to each state under the State Outbreak Investigation and Response Fund (S-OIRF) to strengthen preparedness against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and other emerging public health threats.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, approved the disbursement of 50 per cent of the fund allocation to states as part of ongoing efforts to enhance Nigeria’s disease surveillance, preparedness and emergency response systems.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako. According to the ministry, the funds will be disbursed through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) gateway under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The ministry noted that the intervention forms part of a broader national strategy aimed at strengthening the country’s readiness to respond to Ebola and other potential disease outbreaks, despite the absence of any confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria.
Bako explained that the approval complements the efforts of the multi-sectoral Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness and Other Health Threats, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
He stated that the fund would enable states to strengthen disease surveillance systems, improve preparedness plans, enhance rapid response mechanisms and build resilience against public health emergencies.
The minister also directed all beneficiary states to account for both current and previously disbursed outbreak response funds within six months, while ensuring strict compliance with financial management, reporting and accountability procedures.
Pate said the approval underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening health security while promoting transparency in the use of public funds.
“This approval reflects our commitment to both health security and accountability. We will continue to support states to strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats while ensuring transparency in the use of public resources,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to safeguard national health security through strategic investments in disease prevention, outbreak preparedness and coordinated emergency response systems.
The latest intervention follows Friday’s inauguration of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness, established to protect the country against a possible outbreak and prevent a recurrence of the challenges experienced during previous health emergencies.
Speaking at the inauguration, Gbajabiamila stressed the importance of proactive measures, saying the government was focused on prevention rather than crisis management.
“Nigeria must not be caught off guard. Right now, there is no reported case, and that is good news. All hands must be on deck to ensure that the measures we are taking are preventive and not curative,” he said.
The release of the funds also comes weeks after President Bola Tinubu approved N10 billion in emergency intervention funding to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against Ebola and other emerging public health threats.
Public health experts have described the government’s proactive measures as crucial to sustaining the nation’s disease surveillance architecture and ensuring a swift response should any outbreak occur.