The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has convened a two-day high-level National Cross-Border Surveillance Stakeholder Engagement in response to recent outbreaks of viral haemorrhagic diseases, including Ebola and Marburg, reported in parts of Africa.
According to the agency, the engagement was organised in line with its mandate and the provisions of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness against cross-border public health threats.
The meeting, held in collaboration with relevant ministries, departments, agencies, and development partners, focused on enhancing disease surveillance systems at Points of Entry (PoEs), identifying critical gaps, and addressing operational challenges affecting border health security.
The NCDC stated that discussions during the engagement centred on improving coordination, information sharing, rapid response mechanisms, and overall preparedness to prevent the importation and spread of infectious diseases into Nigeria.
The agency emphasized that strengthening surveillance at borders remains crucial in safeguarding public health, particularly amid growing concerns over the spread of viral haemorrhagic diseases across the African continent.
“Together, we are strengthening Nigeria’s frontlines against cross-border health threats,” the agency said in a statement.
The engagement forms part of ongoing efforts by Nigerian health authorities to bolster national health security and improve the country’s capacity to detect and respond swiftly to infectious disease outbreaks.
