Lagos activates ‘Operation BioShield’ to prevent Ebola outbreak

The Lagos State Government on Sunday said it has launched a statewide emergency public awareness campaign tagged “Operation Lagos BioShield” to strengthen surveillance and prevent the possible importation of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into the state amid fresh outbreaks in parts of East and Central Africa.

Disclosing the campaign, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, reassured residents that there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola in Lagos or anywhere in Nigeria, stressing that the campaign is a preventive response aimed at keeping the state ahead of any potential threat.

“This campaign is not a response to a crisis. It is a proactive measure to strengthen public awareness, preparedness and prevention,” Abayomi said in a statement issued by the Ministry of Health.

The renewed alert followed outbreaks of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, a strain first identified in Uganda in 2007. The commissioner noted that prevention, early detection and rapid isolation remain the most effective safeguards against the disease.

“As Nigeria’s commercial capital and a major regional transport hub, Lagos maintains extensive air, land and maritime connections with the rest of Africa and the world,” Abayomi said. He disclosed that the Lagos and Federal Governments were already working with aviation, maritime, border health and public health agencies to reinforce entry-point screening and community-level surveillance across the state.

He explained that Ebola is not spread through casual contact but through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids or contaminated materials of an infected person who is already symptomatic. He urged residents to maintain strict hygiene practices, report any suspected case to the nearest health facility, and avoid spreading unverified information that could fuel panic.

The Commissioner also said the state had reactivated its Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and was coordinating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to ensure rapid response in the event of any suspected case.

The Lagos State Government said the campaign would include jingles in major languages, community engagement in markets, motor parks and places of worship, and the distribution of information materials in schools and healthcare facilities.

Sources: Vanguard, Daily Post