Ebola: Resident doctors demand urgent hospital preparedness, protection of frontline workers

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has directed its members nationwide to urgently assess hospitals’ Ebola preparedness and ensure frontline health workers have protective equipment.

The directive, contained in a circular dated 26 October and addressed to all centre presidents, follows Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported case of Ebola virus disease on 20 October.

NARD said resident doctors were particularly vulnerable to occupational exposure because they often participate in the initial assessment of patients presenting with undifferentiated febrile illnesses.

The association urged its members to engage hospital management and infection prevention and control committees to assess their institutions’ capacity to identify, isolate, and safely refer suspected Ebola cases.

It also directed centre presidents to verify the availability and accessibility of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly in accident and emergency units, internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and other high-risk clinical departments.

The association asked its members to work with hospital management to organise immediate sensitisation sessions on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s (NCDC) case definitions, infection prevention measures, appropriate use of protective equipment and occupational exposure protocols.

More guidelines

NARD also directed hospitals to ensure that resident doctors know the established reporting channels, designated Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, and approved isolation and referral pathways for suspected cases.

Under the directive, each centre is to nominate an Ebola preparedness focal person to coordinate with the association’s national secretariat and relevant hospital authorities.

The centre presidents are also expected to submit preliminary reports to the national secretariat within 72 hours of receiving the circular. The reports should detail their institutions’ level of preparedness, available protective equipment, existing gaps and areas requiring urgent intervention.

The association further urged its members to promptly escalate concerns about inadequate protective equipment, unsafe deployment, and occupational exposure, and to pursue corrective measures through established hospital safety structures.

NARD said its National Officers’ Committee would engage the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and other relevant stakeholders to coordinate training, strengthen institutional preparedness, and advocate for comprehensive occupational protection for frontline healthcare workers.

“The commitment of resident doctors to saving lives must be matched by an equally firm commitment from government and hospital authorities to protecting those who provide care,” the association said.

It urged members to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary panic, disseminate only verified public health information and maintain close collaboration with relevant authorities.

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Nigeria’s Ebola response

The directive comes amid heightened public health surveillance following Nigeria’s confirmation of its first Ebola case in more than a decade.

The 42-year-old woman, who returned to Nigeria from Uganda through Addis Ababa on 3 October, developed symptoms and sought medical attention at private health facilities in Abuja.

The NCDC was notified on 19 October, and laboratory tests confirmed the infection the following day.

On Monday, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Pate confirmed that the patient had been medically evacuated from Abuja to Switzerland alongside her husband, who had remained asymptomatic.

Mr Pate said the patient was clinically improved, stable, conscious and communicating before the evacuation. He, however, cautioned that her improved condition did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious and said strict public health protocols were observed during the transfer.

Following the patient’s evacuation, the World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, said Nigeria had no active Ebola case. However, contact tracing and other public health measures remain important to prevent further transmission.

The NARD directive places renewed emphasis on healthcare worker safety as hospitals strengthen their readiness to identify and manage suspected cases.

The association said it would continue to engage relevant authorities to ensure resident doctors have the training, protective equipment, and institutional support needed to carry out their duties safely.