Ebola: FG Directs NOA, NTA, FRCN to Intensify Nationwide Awareness Campaign

The Federal Government has directed the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and other federal information agencies to intensify public awareness campaigns on Ebola prevention following the confirmation of an imported case in Abuja.

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The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, issued the directive, asking agencies under his ministry to work with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to provide Nigerians with accurate, timely and verified information about the disease.

The agencies expected to participate in the campaign include the NOA, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON) and News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The NCDC had confirmed an imported Ebola case involving a woman who recently travelled from Uganda to Abuja. The patient is reportedly in isolation and receiving treatment, while health authorities have identified her contacts and are monitoring them.

Idris said the government was taking necessary measures to contain the case and protect public health, stressing that accurate information was crucial to preventing the spread of the virus.

“The Federal Government is taking every necessary step to contain this case and protect Nigerians. Accurate and timely information is one of our strongest defences,” the minister said.

He directed the NOA to deploy its nationwide network to educate residents at the grassroots level, working with traditional rulers, religious leaders, community organisations and the media to disseminate prevention messages in local languages.

The ministry also plans to strengthen collaboration with broadcast media organisations, including the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), through public awareness jingles, educational materials and the dissemination of verified health information.

The minister urged Nigerians to remain calm, rely on official sources for health updates and avoid spreading unverified reports on social media. Members of the public who suspect an Ebola case were advised to contact the NCDC through its 24-hour toll-free emergency line on 6232.