NCoS Seeks Dedicated Funding for Essential Medical Supplies To Contain Ebola

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has called for dedicated funding and essential medical supplies to strengthen Ebola Virus Disease infection prevention and control across its centres.

NCoS said it is committed to strengthening disease surveillance, infection prevention and control, emergency response arrangements, staff capacity, and collaboration with relevant public health authorities in the wake of the Ebola Virus outbreak.

It, however, maintained that effective preparedness within custodial environments requires deliberate government support, adequate resources and the inclusion of the Service in national public-health emergency planning and response programmes.

The controller-general of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, stated this when he appeared before the Joint House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Disease, Healthcare Services, Aviation and Interior’s public hearing on the need for the executive arm of government to strengthen preventive and emergency medical measures against the spread of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria, yesterday.

Nwakuche assured the Committee that the Nigerian Correctional Service will continue to discharge its statutory responsibilities and work with relevant stakeholders to minimise the risk of infectious disease transmission within custodial centres.

He said the Service recognised that an infectious disease outbreak within a custodial centre could have serious consequences for inmates, personnel, visitors and surrounding communities.

“Consequently, protecting the health of persons in custody and preventing the transmission of infectious diseases within custodial facilities are integral to the Service’s statutory responsibilities and the wider national public-health agenda,” the NCoS boss said.

According to him, Custodial centres present peculiar public health challenges arising from population density, shared facilities, regular human interaction, and varying levels of healthcare infrastructure.

Nwakuche reiterated that the Service is committed to working with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), relevant State Ministries of Health and other stakeholders to strengthen disease prevention and emergency response within custodial environments.

He called on the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to formally integrate the Service into national and sub-national public health emergency preparedness and response frameworks, particularly those related to infectious disease outbreaks.

Nwakuche also called on the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to: “strengthen collaboration between the NCoS, NCDC, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and relevant State health authorities to facilitate surveillance, testing, referral and emergency response.

“Support the provision and improvement of medical infrastructure, designated isolation spaces and emergency referral arrangements within custodial formations.

“Develop and implement regular training programmes and simulation exercises for correctional personnel and healthcare workers. Establish a sustainable mechanism for the provision of technical assistance, public-health information and operational guidance to custodial institutions during health emergencies.

“Conduct periodic assessments of custodial centres to evaluate their level of preparedness and compliance with established infection prevention and control standards. Ensure that custodial healthcare facilities are incorporated into relevant Government-funded health intervention programmes and emergency medical support initiatives.”

In his remarks, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen said the exercise is intended to enable the House to interrogate the adequacy of the nation’s preparedness, scrutinise the effectiveness of existing institutions and ensure that the legal, financial and operational frameworks required to protect Nigerians are firmly in place.

Represented by Hon. Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo), the speaker said the House’s oversight is not an exercise in assigning blame but an instrument for securing accountability, identifying weaknesses and ensuring that public resources deliver measurable results.

“This hearing should therefore provide an opportunity for the relevant ministries, departments and agencies, public health professionals, development partners and other stakeholders to give a candid assessment of Nigeria’s preparedness and response capacity.

“In particular, we must establish whether our disease surveillance systems can detect threats early enough; whether our laboratories, isolation facilities and emergency response infrastructure are adequately equipped; whether healthcare workers have the training and protective equipment necessary to discharge their responsibilities safely; and whether our ports of entry and border communities are sufficiently covered by effective screening and monitoring arrangements.

“Equally important is the question of inter-agency coordination, the timely release and transparent utilisation of emergency health funds, and the capacity of state governments to respond effectively to public health emergencies. Disease containment cannot be the responsibility of the Federal Government alone. It requires a coordinated national response in which every tier of government understands its obligations and possesses the capacity to fulfil them.

“The House of Representatives will give serious consideration to the submissions and recommendations arising from this exercise. Where legislative intervention is necessary, we will pursue it. Where administrative deficiencies are identified, we will engage the appropriate authorities to ensure corrective action. And where funding or institutional capacity is inadequate, we will discharge our constitutional responsibilities in addressing those gaps,” Abbas added.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Joint Committee, Hon. Amobi Ogah, said the public hearing was intended to bring critical stakeholders to the forefront of containment measures against the Ebola virus in Nigeria, and to inform Nigerians on what they had done and what they intend to do to keep Nigerians safe from the outbreak.

“We want to know what steps have been taken, what are our projections for the future, and since the carriers of the Ebola virus usually enter a nation through the airports, we also need to know what measures are taken in all our airports to screen persons migrating in and out of our country.

“In order to douse the intense apprehension and confusion generated by the news of the Ebola virus outbreak and to seek answers, the Parliament, as a matter of urgent public importance, called for the executive arm to strengthen preventive and emergency medical measures against the spread of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria.

“On this note, the Joint Committees wish to commend the Government of President Bola Tinubu for the prompt intervention of setting up the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Outbreak in Nigeria, and the release of the tidy sum of 10 billion naira to battle the virus. We also commend the NCDC for the coordination of efforts to contain the spread of the virus,” he added.