Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and its newest economic powerhouse. A shocked public health community – worldwide When laboratory confirmation of the country’s first Ebola case, in Lagos, was announced on 23 July, the news rocked public health communities all around the world. When the eradication initiative was launched, Nigeria was the epicentre of this disease, with more than 650 000 cases reported each year. Earlier this year, WHO confirmed that Nigeria had eradicated guinea-worm disease – another spectacular success story.
As sometimes fortunately happens in public health, one success breeds others when lessons and best practices are collected and applied. The complete story also illustrates how Nigeria has come so close to the successful interruption of wild poliovirus transmission from its vast and densely-populated territory. Many wealthy countries, with outstanding health systems, may have something to learn as well.
Such a story can help the many other developing countries that are deeply worried by the prospect of an imported Ebola case and eager to improve their preparedness plans. The story of how Nigeria ended what many believed to be potentially the most explosive Ebola outbreak imaginable is worth telling in detail. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State poses with survivors of the Ebola virus This is a spectacular success story that shows that Ebola can be contained.
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