ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has introduced a ₦100,000 weekly allowance for people quarantined after possible exposure to Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola case.
NCDC Director-General Jide Idris announced the measure at a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday, saying it would help affected people manage family and business responsibilities while in quarantine.
The agency is already covering accommodation and feeding costs for people staying in designated facilities. Idris said some contacts had requested additional financial support to maintain their families. “We are providing N100,000 per person per week just to maintain their comfort and feeding, because they were complaining,” he said.
Idris described the allowance as an emergency measure that was not included in the original expenditure plan. He added that the agency would review the arrangement as the response progresses.
He also said state governments were expected to provide the facilities, funding and resources needed to manage contacts during public health emergencies.
Meanwhile, public health officials have identified 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to Idris, 44 contacts were identified at the health facility where the patient was treated, while nine others included her husband, driver and chef, three healthcare workers from another clinic and three people involved in sample collection.
Depending on their risk assessments, contacts may undergo monitoring at designated facilities or home quarantine. The monitoring period will last 21 days after the last possible exposure.
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