The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has urged the media to counter Ebola misinformation through accurate reporting to prevent panic and protect public health.
The Director-General of NCDC, Jide Idris, made the call on Tuesday during a capacity-building Zoom meeting for journalists on effective Ebola reporting, organised amid concerns about misinformation following Nigeria’s confirmed case.
Mr Idris said Nigeria currently had no confirmed Ebola cases within the country following the medical evacuation of the patient and her husband to Switzerland.
He, however, said that health authorities were monitoring 54 contacts daily, with most undergoing quarantine in Abuja and others observing self-quarantine at home.
“Fifty-four contacts remain under surveillance as three symptomatic contacts test negative,” he said.
The NCDC director-general warned that reports claiming Nigeria had been declared Ebola-free were false, emphasising that the absence of confirmed cases did not mean the country was free of the disease.
He said the World Health Organisation had described the reports as inaccurate and misleading, warning that such claims could make people abandon preventive measures or stop seeking help when necessary.
Mr Idris said health authorities were also identifying secondary contacts of those being monitored to ensure that no possible chain of transmission was overlooked.
He explained that contact tracing remained essential to detecting potential infections early and preventing further spread of the virus.
The NCDC boss also defended the government’s decision to provide financial support to people placed under quarantine, saying the intervention was intended to ease the hardship associated with public health restrictions.
He said the affected individuals had expressed concerns about their circumstances, adding that the government considered it necessary to address their welfare and reduce the social and psychological challenges associated with quarantine.
Mr Idris said the welfare arrangement was not part of the original plan, adding that the NCDC was engaging relevant authorities, including the Federal Capital Territory Administration, to ensure they fulfilled their responsibilities.
He dismissed suggestions that the evacuation of the Ebola patient reflected a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system, explaining that the patient had received treatment locally and was clinically stable before leaving the country.
According to him, public health decisions concerning patients must be guided by medical considerations rather than political interests.
Mr Idris also dismissed reports suggesting that the Ebola outbreak could lead to the postponement of elections, describing such claims as false.
He urged journalists to verify information before publication, use official communication channels and seek clarification from designated spokespersons when questions arose.
The director-general advised media organisations to correct false information on the same platforms where it was published, noting that corrections must receive sufficient prominence to counter misinformation.
He also cautioned journalists against publishing the names, photographs or addresses of patients and contacts, warning that such practices could expose affected individuals to stigma and discrimination.
Mr Idris reiterated that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or someone who has died from the disease, not through the air.
He added that people without symptoms do not transmit the virus, stressing that individuals being monitored who remain well should not be treated as confirmed or suspected cases.
The NCDC chief advised anyone experiencing fever or other concerning symptoms after travelling to an affected area or contacting a suspected case to call the national emergency number, 6232, instead of visiting a health facility without prior guidance.
He said the agency would maintain regular briefings and provide journalists with verified information on the outbreak, including confirmed facts, emerging developments and areas where information remained uncertain.
Mr Idris assured the media that the agency would acknowledge and correct errors when necessary, while encouraging journalists to provide feedback to improve public communication.
Earlier, the organisers said the training was designed to strengthen journalists’ capacity to report Ebola accurately and responsibly, noting that the lessons could also apply to other public health threats, including Lassa fever and cholera.
They said the sessions would cover Ebola transmission, symptoms, scientific evidence, treatment options, vaccine availability and Nigeria’s preparedness, emphasising that public health reporting should be guided by evidence rather than fear.
Speaking during the meeting, Mohammed Balogun of the Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) said accurate communication was critical to controlling outbreaks and ensuring public cooperation with response measures.
Mr Balogun said misinformation and misconceptions about Ebola could undermine outbreak control, citing experiences in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where negative perceptions contributed to attacks on treatment centres and resistance to isolation.
He urged journalists to report verified information accurately, warning that poor communication could endanger health workers, affected communities and the wider outbreak response.
Mr Balogun identified five essential facts journalists should reflect in Ebola reports: the mode of transmission, incubation period, early symptoms, absence of airborne transmission and the need to distinguish healthy contacts from infected individuals.
He explained that Ebola transmission generally required direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person or someone who had died from the disease.
The epidemiologist reiterated that Ebola was not airborne and that people who had not developed symptoms did not spread the virus, adding that healthy contacts should not be portrayed as confirmed or suspected cases.
He said symptoms could develop between two and 21 days after exposure, although the period was typically eight to 10 days.
Mr Balogun cautioned journalists against assuming that patients must develop bleeding before Ebola could be suspected, explaining that fever commonly appeared early while bleeding might occur later or be absent altogether.
He emphasised that early recognition of symptoms and a high index of suspicion were essential to identifying cases promptly and initiating appropriate public health interventions.
(NAN)
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