The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional Ebola preparedness through behavioural intelligence, risk communication and cross-border collaboration to enhance public health security across West Africa.

The Director-General of NCDC, Jide Idris, said this on Thursday during the third Ebola Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management (RCCE+IM) preparedness webinar held for regional stakeholders and experts.

Mr Idris, represented by Tochi Okwor, head of the Department of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, NCDC, said the webinar focused on the theme, “Beyond Borders: Strengthening Ebola Preparedness through Regional Collaboration and Behavioral Intelligence.”

He said the session, themed “Integrating Behavioral Intelligence into Regional Preparedness,” was hosted by NCDC in collaboration with the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC) and other regional partners.

Mr Idris said Nigeria currently had no confirmed Ebola cases and remained committed to sustaining that status through proactive preparedness measures, strengthened surveillance systems, and coordinated response mechanisms across relevant sectors.

He emphasised that preparedness should remain a continuous process rather than an emergency response activated only after an outbreak occurred, noting that readiness must be sustained at all times.

According to him, the country’s objective is to prevent Ebola importation while strengthening systems to detect and respond rapidly should a case emerge, thereby minimising potential public health risks.

He said effective preparedness extends beyond surveillance, laboratories and treatment centres to understanding how people perceive risks and respond to public health messages during disease outbreaks.

The NCDC boss said that although the science behind Ebola transmission was well established, misinformation, rumours and distrust continued to hinder effective outbreak control in affected communities.

Mr Idris said behavioural intelligence helped health authorities understand community concerns, identify trusted information sources, and improve communication strategies that encouraged positive health actions and informed decision-making.

He emphasised that risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management were indispensable components of Ebola preparedness before any outbreak occurred, describing them as critical pillars of prevention.

The director-general also highlighted that Ebola preparedness required strong regional collaboration because viruses, people and information easily cross national borders, making coordinated action essential for success.

He commended the continued partnership with the ECOWAS RCSDC and other West African countries, describing knowledge-sharing and coordinated preparedness efforts as critical to regional health security.

Mr Idris urged participants to translate lessons from the webinar into practical actions within their organisations and communities, saying preparedness was ultimately measured by actions that strengthened public health readiness.

 (NAN)