NCDC: ₦10bn Ebola Fund Also Covers Lassa Fever, Other Diseases
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Jide Idris, has clarified that the ₦10 billion approved by President Bola Tinubu for Ebola preparedness is also intended to strengthen Nigeria’s response to other endemic diseases, including Lassa fever.
Idris made the clarification during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday night, explaining that the intervention fund was designed to improve the country’s broader public health preparedness as the Lassa fever season approaches.
He said diseases such as Ebola, Lassa fever and dengue require similar surveillance and control measures, including improved diagnostics, screening, monitoring and checks at points of entry.
According to him, the funding request was initially intended to address Ebola and other public health threats before Tinubu approved it.
The NCDC chief also dismissed allegations that the Ebola situation was being politicised, insisting that health emergencies should not be used as political weapons. He added that decisions concerning election postponement were not within his authority.
Tinubu approved the ₦10 billion intervention fund in May alongside the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats.
The fund has since sparked political controversy, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar demanding transparency and the publication of a detailed account of its status and utilisation.
Atiku had questioned the government’s handling of the money, while the APC Presidential Campaign Council maintained that the fund remained untouched and that relevant agencies were using existing resources for disease surveillance.
The conflicting claims have intensified calls for the Federal Government to clarify the fund’s status, intended deployment and measures to ensure accountability as Nigeria strengthens its preparedness for Ebola and other infectious diseases.
