The Federal Executive Council has approved a N45.8 billion biosecurity and disease surveillance system for five international airports to detect Ebola and other dangerous pathogens entering the country.
Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, told State House correspondents on Wednesday after the FEC meeting that the initiative was a major investment in health and economic security.
He said the programme would be implemented under a 20-year public-private partnership (PPP) concession awarded to BioHealth Consortium.
Pate said infectious disease outbreaks could disrupt economic activities and threaten public safety.
“Over the last two weeks, I think you realise the significance of enhancing biosecurity at our points of entry,” he said.
“Since COVID, we have known that there are significant vulnerabilities in terms of public health threats crossing borders and the need for coordinated, technology-driven systems for early warning, detection and response to emerging infectious disease threats.
“The surveillance system will be deployed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Port Harcourt International Airport; and Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.”
Pate said more than 18 million passengers pass through Nigeria’s airports annually, making effective surveillance at points of entry critical to national health security.
He said the private-sector partner would design, finance, build, operate and maintain the facilities throughout the concession period, while the federal government would provide policy, institutional and regulatory oversight.
Pate added that the assets would revert to the federal government at the end of the concession, in line with the agreement reviewed and endorsed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The project would include wastewater surveillance to detect pathogens associated with aircraft, air and surface sampling equipment, as well as technologies for monitoring cargo and baggage.
He said a National Surveillance Operations Centre would be established to coordinate real-time monitoring, integrate data, track incidents and support rapid responses to suspected outbreaks.
He said the facilities would include modern laboratories for rapid diagnostics at points of entry.
Pate said the facilities would operate in coordination with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Port Health Services, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The minister said the project was informed by lessons from Nigeria’s recent response to the Ebola threat.
On the support for people placed in isolation and quarantine after being identified as contacts of the Ebola patient, Pate said the intervention was intended to encourage compliance and prevent community transmission.
