The Federal Government has expressed optimism that Nigeria could declare an end to the current Ebola outbreak by December 7, 2026, provided no further confirmed or probable cases are detected, following the medical evacuation of the index patient abroad.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, disclosed this on Monday, October 26, explaining that the proposed date remained provisional and would depend on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) validating the required 42-day countdown.
The development comes amid renewed calls for stronger public health systems and regional cooperation, as President Bola Tinubu declared that Africa could eliminate Ebola and other infectious diseases through sustained political commitment, adequate investment and effective institutions.
Tinubu, represented by Pate at the 50th anniversary celebration and Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the West African College of Physicians (WACP) in Abuja, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening disease surveillance, laboratory networks, emergency preparedness and cross-border collaboration.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle, Pate said the evacuation of the index patient on October 26 had not changed the government’s immediate priorities of monitoring identified contacts, investigating alerts and strengthening preparedness across health facilities.
He said Nigeria could potentially declare the outbreak over by December 7 if no additional confirmed or probable cases emerged, in line with WHO criteria.
However, the minister cautioned that any new case would restart the countdown in accordance with the international health agency’s guidelines.
Pate added that the Federal Government was working with the Federal Capital Territory Administration, state health authorities and development partners to contain the outbreak and prevent community transmission.
He urged Nigerians to remain calm, cooperate with contact-tracing teams and follow official updates from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The index patient, a 42-year-old Ugandan-born wife of a Swiss diplomat, was evacuated from Abuja aboard an air ambulance on Monday, October 26.
The evacuation took place through the private aviation wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where heightened security measures were reportedly put in place ahead of the aircraft’s departure.
Photographs obtained from the airport showed a convoy of ambulances and diplomatic vehicles arriving at the General Aviation Terminal from the Abuja city centre.
The three-vehicle convoy reportedly included a vehicle belonging to an international agency before proceeding into the airport’s private aviation section.
Airport officials subsequently cordoned off the area as arrangements for the medical evacuation continued.
The evacuation followed increased attention to Nigeria’s Ebola response, particularly the monitoring of contacts, isolation arrangements and measures to prevent further transmission.
The NCDC had earlier announced that 53 contacts linked to the confirmed case in Abuja were being monitored.
The agency’s Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, said eligible contacts would receive a weekly stipend of N100,000 to cover feeding, accommodation and family support during the 21-day monitoring period.
However, the decision has attracted criticism from former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, who warned that the financial support could encourage some people to falsely claim exposure to the virus.
In a post on X, Sani urged the NCDC to ensure that beneficiaries were properly verified to prevent the scheme from being abused.
He cautioned that some individuals might falsely present themselves as contacts of the infected patient to benefit from the payment.
Meanwhile, Tinubu has called for sustained investment in public health infrastructure and stronger collaboration among African countries to tackle infectious diseases.
Speaking at the WACP anniversary celebration, the president noted that recent health emergencies had demonstrated that infectious diseases respected no national boundaries, making regional cooperation essential.
He expressed confidence that an Ebola-free West Africa and Africa were achievable if governments maintained political commitment and worked closely with relevant institutions and development partners.
Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with the WACP, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen the continent’s healthcare systems.
The president also reiterated his administration’s commitment to specialist medical training and efforts to address the migration of health professionals, commonly known as the Japa syndrome.
He encouraged Nigerian medical professionals abroad to return and contribute to strengthening the country’s healthcare system.
According to him, healthcare remains a major pillar of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with quality medical services regarded as a fundamental right rather than a privilege reserved for a few.
Tinubu listed investments in the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of health facilities, the modernisation of specialist and tertiary institutions, and the revitalisation of thousands of primary healthcare centres among the government’s interventions.
He also highlighted increased financing through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, expanded health insurance coverage and the recruitment of more than 30,000 health professionals into federal health facilities over the past two and a half years.
The president added that the government had doubled quotas for medical education and was deploying digital technology to improve disease surveillance and patient records.
He said the reforms were positioning Nigeria as an emerging healthcare destination and regional hub.
Earlier, WACP President, Dr Mamadou Ka, described the college’s golden jubilee as an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and renew its commitment to improving healthcare delivery across West Africa.
Ka recalled that the institution was established to advance postgraduate medical education and strengthen healthcare services throughout the region.
He said the college had trained thousands of specialists over the past five decades, contributing to clinical practice, research, education and health leadership.
However, he identified the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, persistent infectious diseases and inequalities in access to healthcare as major challenges requiring stronger research, postgraduate training and regional cooperation.
He urged the institution to embrace technological advancements while preserving the human values essential to medical practice.
The WACP Vice President, Professor Benjamin Uzochukwu, disclosed that the college had expanded from an initiative involving five English-speaking West African countries into a regional institution encompassing English-, French- and Portuguese-speaking countries.
He said the college had produced more than 40,000 fellows and over 4,000 members as of April 2026.
The institution currently has six faculties covering community health, family medicine, internal medicine, laboratory medicine, paediatrics and psychiatry, alongside 13 national chapters across 15 West African countries. Its headquarters is in Lagos.
Uzochukwu also highlighted activities marking the anniversary, including a medical outreach held in Waru, Garki District, Abuja, on October 24, where specialist consultations were provided for conditions such as anaemia, hydrocele and myoma.
He recalled the unveiling of the college’s 50th anniversary monument by the president of the ECOWAS Commission during a welcome cocktail on October 25, as well as the conferment of an honorary fellowship on Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
According to him, the president had challenged the college to develop recommendations on addressing the migration of medical professionals, with the aim of providing governments with evidence-based strategies for retaining and motivating physicians.
He added that the college was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC on health screening and hygiene measures.
The anniversary celebration culminated in the induction of 319 fellows and 283 new members of the college.
In a goodwill message, the President of the Royal College of Physicians, London, Professor Mumtaz Patel, described the WACP as an important institutional partner, noting that both organisations faced challenges relating to workforce recruitment, retention, staff wellbeing and equitable access to compassionate healthcare.
