Korede Abdullah 
JOS, Nigeria – Plateau State says it is nearly fully prepared to respond to any Ebola outbreak, with health authorities placing surveillance officers, epidemiologists and frontline workers on alert to ensure early detection and containment of infectious diseases.
The Executive Secretary, Plateau State Health Management Board, Dr Raymond Juryit, on Saturday said the state had strengthened its disease surveillance systems to tackle a potential Ebola outbreak and other communicable diseases. He spoke through the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr Yakubu Dauda Izang, during a stakeholders’ engagement and media advocacy meeting on Community-Led HIV and Malaria Services in Jos.
“The board is 99.9% prepared for potential outbreaks like Ebola. We have already put our staff on notice for early surveillance and containment of not only Ebola, but other communicable diseases,” Juryit said.
He urged communities to play a more active role in disease monitoring and reporting, stressing that public participation remains critical in preventing an Ebola outbreak and other public health emergencies.
Juryit also highlighted progress in malaria control, noting that Plateau ranks behind only Lagos in terms of low malaria prevalence and positivity testing. He attributed the success to partnerships with non-governmental organisations, community-based groups, improved drug availability and increased public awareness.
According to him, the interventions have contributed to declining cases of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria across the state.
“NGOs have played a crucial role in raising community awareness about communicable diseases like malaria, TB, and AIDS, resulting in greater community ownership and improved access to treatment facilities,” he added.
About the Author
Mirian Gom 
Oluwatobi Adu 
Oluwafunbi Bello 