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Abstract
This research work seeks to examine the international response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa with reference to the Nigeria containment of Ebola Virus. The largest Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in history exploded across West Africa.1 The World Health Organization reported a total of 21,296 Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases, including 13,427 laboratory confirmed EVD cases reported from the three most affected countries Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone in 2014. Nigeria’s first case of EVD was officially announced in July, 2014. In an effort to tackle the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, the Federal Government, drawing on the experience of the Emergency Operation Centre’s work with polio, declared Ebola a public health emergency and mobilized human, financial and material resources to contain the epidemic. Nigeria was officially declared Ebola free on 20th October 2014.2 However, the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had spread internationally from the DRC into neighbouring Uganda and it ranks as the second deadliest outbreak in history. This ongoing epidemic hereby calls for intensified disease monitoring at the Nigerian border posts, health centers and communities, and a prompt review of preparedness activities in the country to prevent another outbreak.3 It is against this backdrop, that this chapter seeks to examine the international response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa with reference to the Nigeria containment of Ebola Virus. 8 Ebola virus disease (EVD) was one of the emerging viral diseases listed in the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulation. It was an epidemic and pandemic prone disease. The virus often consumes the population. Ebola virus causes severe disease in humans and in non-human primates in the form of viral hemorrhagic fever.4 This viral hemorrhagic fever was one of the most virulent viral diseases known to humankind. Close contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals allows the introduction of EVD into the human population. After an incubation period of about a week, victims rapidly develop high fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, respiratory disorders and haemorrhage. Death ensues within a few days.5 According to World Health Organization, the Ebola virus disease came into Lagos Nigeria on the 20th of July, 2014 through an infected Liberian diplomat, Patrick Sawyer. Patrick Sawyer who was the first index case of an acutely ill traveller had travelled from Liberia via Accra, Ghana, to Lomé, Togo and arrived at the Lagos International Airport on the 20th of July, 2014. Patrick Sawyer was on his way to Calabar, Cross River State, for a conference of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).6 In the departure hall of the Liberian International Airport, Patrick Sawyer was visibly ill, lying on the floor of the departure lounge while awaiting the flight. He vomited during the flight, on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and again in the private car that drove him to a private hospital. The Liberian was a 40 year old Diplomat of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), his status allowed air
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