Senate Moves to Update Nigeria’s Old Quarantine Law Amid Ebola Concerns

The Senate on Wednesday decided to talk to the presidency about changing Nigeria’s Quarantine Act. They want to update it to match modern public health laws and the International Health Regulations.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio told the Senate Committee on Judiciary to work with the executive branch and health agencies. They need to come up with proposals to change the law.

Mr Akpabio gave this order during Wednesday’s session while lawmakers discussed a motion on the need for health checks at all international airports and other entry points. This is to stop the spread of Ebola and other diseases that can cause epidemics.

Francis Faduyile, a senator from Ondo South, sponsored the motion. Mr Akpabio said they must treat this amendment as urgent. It is important to improve Nigeria’s response to the Ebola outbreak and stop it from spreading further.

"We should take the issue very seriously. We should invite the Senate Committee on Judiciary to start talking to the health authorities. We need to amend this Quarantine Act of 1926. This should be immediate. We should consult with the executive and all relevant agencies.

"We should not wait for them to bring an Act to us. We should go to them to get their input. That is what I think we should do to stop this right away. If it spreads, there will be a major problem."

Ebola Case in Nigeria

Nigeria confirmed an Ebola case on Tuesday. The patient is a woman who just arrived in the country on an international flight from Uganda. She is getting medical care in isolation at a private hospital in Abuja.

Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, said that 44 people have been identified as contacts of the patient. Authorities are tracking them for monitoring and possible isolation.

Senate’s Resolutions

After Mr Akpabio spoke, lawmakers rejected a proposal for senators to visit the entry points the woman used before being isolated in Abuja. Instead, the Senate urged the federal government to quickly release emergency funds from the Service Wide Vote to stop the Ebola virus from spreading.

The Senate also asked the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and Port Health Services to make health checks mandatory for all international arrivals at airports, seaports, and designated land borders.

The lawmakers requested better screening for passengers who had been in or passed through affected areas in the last 21 days, no matter their nationality or country of departure. They also called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure all entry points are well-staffed and equipped with trained port health officers, thermal scanners, protective equipment, and isolation rooms.