Pharmacists' academy urges 10-point Ebola readiness plan for Nigeria

The Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm) has asked the federal government to put in place a coordinated national plan for epidemics, saying the country should be ready for Ebola and other infectious diseases before an outbreak arrives.

The academy made the call in a statement signed by its president and chairman of council, Prof. Lere Baale, on Thursday. It follows a policy report titled “From Awareness to Readiness: Strengthening Nigeria’s Preparedness for Ebola and Emerging Infectious Disease Emergencies”, which draws on a national webinar held on August 20, 2026, and the work of a task group on Ebola led by Prof. Fola Tayo.

NAPharm said readiness should be built into the system, checked regularly and working in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, rather than switched on only when an outbreak threatens.

What the academy is proposing

The report lists 10 actions for government to consider. They include a nationwide audit of epidemic preparedness, compulsory simulation exercises, standards for how quickly laboratories return test results, and stockpiles of emergency medicines and supplies.

Others are teams drawn from different health professions, a framework to protect health workers, better handling of rumours and false information, support for survivors, and a yearly national scorecard on preparedness.

The academy also wants community pharmacies brought into early warning. It argued that pharmacists are often the first health workers people see when they have fever or weakness, symptoms that can look like common illnesses.

Under a proposed pilot with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), participating pharmacists would be given case definitions, reporting steps and referral routes. The academy stressed that this would not allow pharmacists to diagnose Ebola, but would help them spot possible warning signs and alert public health authorities. It summed up the idea as: “Recognise. Protect. Refer. Report.”

NAPharm said doctors, pharmacists, nurses, laboratory scientists and other frontline staff need regular training, protective equipment and institutional backing to keep any response going.

Why it matters

Nigeria contained Ebola in 2014, but the academy warned that past success does not promise future safety. Baale said the country must turn that experience into lasting capacity.

“Preparedness is not panic. Preparedness is foresight, competence, coordination and national responsibility,” he said.

The academy praised existing work by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the NCDC on surveillance, laboratories, infection control, border monitoring and public communication, but said more is needed to keep those systems working.

It proposed a 90-day start-up plan covering the readiness audit, mapping of laboratory referrals, an inventory of emergency supplies, the pharmacy surveillance pilot and health worker training. Longer-term steps include preparedness education, stronger surveillance networks and yearly public reporting.

NAPharm also said preparedness money should be tied to results and proven capability, not just procurement. It offered to work with the NCDC, the ministry, state health authorities, regulators, manufacturers and development partners.

For ordinary Nigerians, the academy advised staying alert without panic, following verified public health information, telling health workers about travel and exposure history, and avoiding rumours or stigma.

What happens next: The proposals are recommendations to government. The sources did not say whether the Federal Ministry of Health, the NCDC or the PCN have responded or agreed to the 90-day plan.