Ebola Preparedness Advisory: LAWMA urges health facilities and waste handlers in Lagos to strengthen infection control measures

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has issued an Ebola Preparedness Advisory to health facilities, medical waste handlers and treatment operators across Lagos State following recent reports of Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks in parts of East Africa.

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The advisory was announced in Lagos on Friday in a statement signed by LAWMA’s Director of Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi.

According to the statement, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the precautionary measure was necessary to ensure that healthcare institutions and medical waste management operators remain vigilant and fully compliant with established infection prevention and waste management protocols.

Gbadegesin emphasised that there are currently no confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease in Lagos State or anywhere in Nigeria.

He said the advisory was intended to strengthen preparedness and reinforce existing standards for the safe handling and disposal of medical waste.

According to the LAWMA chief, effective medical waste management remains a critical component of efforts to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and protect healthcare workers, patients, waste handlers and the wider public.

“Although there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola in Lagos or Nigeria, preparedness remains one of the most effective tools in disease prevention.

We are therefore urging all health facilities and licensed medical waste operators to strengthen infection prevention and control measures and ensure strict compliance with approved medical waste management protocols,” Gbadegesin said.

The Ebola Preparedness Advisory directs healthcare institutions to reinforce standard infection prevention and control practices, including proper hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment, safe handling of medical specimens, environmental decontamination and strict segregation of infectious waste at the point of generation.

LAWMA also advised licensed medical waste handlers and transporters to adhere strictly to approved procedures for the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of infectious waste.

The agency stressed the importance of the consistent use of appropriate personal protective equipment by personnel involved in waste management operations.

Gbadegesin noted that LAWMA would continue supporting preparedness efforts through ongoing monitoring, compliance inspections and stakeholder engagement across the state.

He urged health institutions to review their infection prevention procedures where necessary and promptly report any suspected public health concerns through appropriate official channels.

The LAWMA boss reassured residents that Lagos remains on high alert and continues to maintain robust surveillance, preparedness and emergency response mechanisms designed to safeguard public health.

He added that the authority would sustain training programmes, sensitisation campaigns and compliance initiatives to ensure medical waste management systems remain safe, effective and responsive to emerging public health threats.

The advisory comes amid growing concerns over the resurgence of Ebola in parts of Africa.

Earlier, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Jide Idris, appealed to governors across Nigeria’s 36 states to provide adequate funding for health workers as part of broader efforts to prevent the virus from entering the country.

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Health authorities have repeatedly stressed that preparedness, surveillance and rapid response remain essential tools in preventing the spread of infectious diseases and protecting public health.