The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has urged Nigerian political leaders to avoid politicising the country’s confirmed case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease, saying public health decisions must be guided by scientific evidence rather than partisan interests.
Pate made the appeal on Thursday, October 22, during a news conference in Abuja, where he provided an update on the imported case confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He described health as a unifying concern that transcends political, ethnic and religious differences, urging public figures to communicate responsibly and support efforts to contain the disease.
“We certainly would encourage them not to politicise a humanitarian and public health issue,” Pate said, adding that health had no political party, nationality, tribe or religion.
The minister also said the government had not introduced restrictions on large gatherings, including political campaigns and conferences, because there was currently no public health evidence requiring such changes.
He said any decision to modify planned events would be based on scientific assessments and expert advice. However, the government would review its position if the situation changed.
Pate said the woman at the centre of the confirmed case was receiving treatment and showing encouraging signs of recovery. He added that laboratory results indicated improvement, although the outcome remained uncertain.
The patient had recently travelled from Uganda and was diagnosed after developing symptoms in Nigeria. Health authorities activated contact tracing and identified people who had interacted with her in hospital, domestic and other settings. Those contacts were assessed according to their level of exposure, with high risk contacts placed under facility based quarantine, according to the minister.
Pate urged Nigerians to rely on verified information from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and other recognised public health authorities.
He warned that misinformation could undermine containment measures by discouraging people from reporting symptoms, cooperating with contact tracing or complying with isolation and quarantine requirements.
The minister also called on healthcare facilities, including private hospitals, to promptly notify public health authorities of suspected cases and strengthen infection prevention and control procedures.
He said the government was maintaining enhanced surveillance at ports of entry and coordinating with state governments and international health partners to prevent further transmission.
Pate urged political leaders, media organisations and social media users to keep partisan debates separate from the public health response, stressing that cooperation and trust in medical expertise were essential to containing the infection.
The Federal Government said it would continue monitoring the situation and provide updates as new information became available.
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