Nigerian response to the 2014 Ebola viral disease outbreak: lessons and cautions

Pan Afr Med J. 2015 Oct 10;22 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):13. doi: 10.11694/pamj.supp.2015.22.1.6490. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The Ebola virus disease outbreak that initially hit Guinea, Liberia and Senegal in 2014 was projected to affect Nigeria very badly when the first case was reported in July 2014. However, the outbreak was effectively and swiftly contained with only eight deaths out of 20 cases, confounding even the most optimistic predictions of the disease modelers. A combination of health worker and public education, a coordinated field epidemiology and laboratory training program (with prior experience in disease outbreak control in other diseases) and effective set-up of emergency operations centers were some of the measures that helped to confound the critics and contain what would have been an otherwise deadly outbreak in a densely populated country with a highly mobile population. This article highlights the measures taken in Nigeria and looks to the translatable lessons learnt for future disease outbreaks, whether that be from the Ebola virus or other infectious agents.

Keywords: EFMC; Ebola viral disease (EVD); Nigeria; West Africa.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration*
  • Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control*
  • Emergency Medical Services / organization & administration
  • Health Education / methods
  • Health Personnel / education
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / epidemiology
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Nigeria / epidemiology