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Nigeria’s Health Minister, Professor Ali Pate, has warned that there is no licensed specific treatment or vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola detected in the country, as the infected patient continues to receive medical care and health authorities intensify efforts to contain the outbreak.
Pate disclosed this during an interview with Arise Television on Wednesday, explaining that researchers were exploring possible treatments while the patient’s immune system continued to fight the infection.
“Specific treatment for this variant of Ebola virus, or a specific vaccine, is not yet licensed, approved to be used,” he said.
The minister added that researchers were investigating potential options, including different vaccines and medical compounds, to determine whether they could help patients infected with the strain.
According to Pate, the patient received antibiotics and antiviral medication at different stages of her treatment because doctors initially suspected a viral illness before confirming Ebola.
He said she was receiving appropriate supportive care and remained stable at the time of the interview. However, he cautioned that her condition could change as the disease progressed.
“I think we’re very fortunate that she is stable at this moment. We hope she continues to remain stable, because things can change when you have an infectious disease that you don’t fully control the course of illness,” Pate said.
The minister credited Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure, laboratory capacity and trained medical personnel with helping to detect and manage the case. He added that public health experts and epidemiologists were working to identify and monitor people who might have been exposed to the virus.
Pate stressed that the success of the response also depended on public cooperation, urging anyone who might have had contact with the infected patient to follow instructions from health authorities.
The Federal Government confirmed the reported case after a woman who had travelled from Uganda developed symptoms and was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja. She was subsequently diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention activated response measures, including contact tracing, enhanced surveillance and infection prevention efforts. Health facilities were also urged to remain vigilant and promptly report suspected cases.
As of October 20, reports indicated that 44 contacts had initially been identified for monitoring. Anambra State was following up on 40 persons of interest, with 33 having completed monitoring and seven remaining under active follow-up. Ogun State was also tracing 111 persons of interest.
The United States Mission in Nigeria issued a health advisory following the reported case, urging citizens who might have been exposed to seek medical guidance if symptoms developed.
Ebola spreads mainly through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, or through contaminated materials. Symptoms may include fever, severe headache, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, and can resemble those of other illnesses, including malaria.