Joe Dinga Pefok (Uncle Joe)
“The Government Has Initiated The Strengthening Of Surveillance And Preparedness Measures Across The Entire Country, Including The Systematic Health Screening Of Travellers At Airports, Seaports, And Land Border Crossings”, The Minister Of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, Has Declared. The Toll Free Number Is 1510. On Monday, October 26, 2026, The Minister Visited The Emergency Care Unit At The Douala Inter. Airport. 4,446 Persons Have Been killed By The Ebola Virus in DR Congo This Year.
A patent in neighbouring Nigeria has been diagnosed with deadly virus, Ebola, which has taken away thousands of lives in DR Congo (former Zaire) this year. According to a press release issued by Cameroon’s Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, the Ebola virus diagnosed in a patient in Nigeria, is of the Bundibugyo strain. This is the first case of the Ebola virus, diagnosed in Nigeria in the last few years.
As to how the Ebola virus is transmitted, the Minister of Public Health has explained in the press release that: “The Ebola virus disease is transmitted through direct contact with blood, secretions , or body fluids of an individual who is ill with or has died from the disease, as well as through contact with contaminated objects . Symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, accompanied by intense fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in some cases, bleeding”.
Emergency Meeting
On Thursday, October 22, 2026, the Minister of Public Health chaired an extraordinary meeting of the Strategic Committee for Health Emergencies, at the Public Health Emergency Operations Coordination Centre in the nation’s capital, Yaounde. The meeting among other things discussed and adopted emergency strategies to combat the Ebola virus, including measures to avoid the ‘importation’ of the Ebola virus into Cameroon. The emergency measures also include the putting in place of a national health system that can rapidly detect any eventual case of the Ebola virus, quickly put the patient in isolation and treatment, and do the follow – up.
Participants at the strategic meeting also adopted a decision that in towns across the country, an inspection should be rapidly made, to identify hospitals or health facilities that have the technical capacity to handle Ebola cases. It was also agreed that measures be taken to build or to improve on the capacity of the medical personnel of those hospitals, in the handling of Ebola cases.
There was no weekend for the Minister of Public Health and some of his close collaborators, struggling to strengthen Cameroon’s health system against the Ebola virus, as they travelled to Cameroon’s economic capital, Doulala, to assess the implementation of the measures and decisions that were adopted at the extraordinary meeting of the Strategic Committees for Health Emergencies. On Monday, October 26, 2026, Minister Manaouda Malachie and his delegation, visited the Emergency Care Unit at the Douala International Airport, where they also examined the process being followed when passengers coming from outside the country, arrive the airport. It should be noted that before travelling to Douala, the Minister of Public Health had already visited the Emergency Care Unit at the Yaounde –Nsimalen International Airport.
The Ebola Scare
Meanwhile the Ebola scare is griping Cameroon, considering the heavy movement of persons between Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon, on each and every day. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa, with a population estimated at 200 million, and the high population density increases the risk of rapid transmission or spread of a virus like Ebola. A number of persons that CNN interviewed in Nigeria on Friday, October 23, 2026, all expressed fear, following the case of a patient in the country that, has been diagnosed with the deadly Ebola virus. Though the patient is living in isolation at the hospital, where he or she is under treatment, there are fears as to whether by the time the patient was diagnosed he or she, had already infected some persons.
Millions Of Nigerians Live In Cameroon
It should be noted that there are millions of Nigerians living in Cameroon, and about 90 % of them are into business. Many of those in business buy their goods back in Nigeria, and that contributes to the heavy traffic that flows on a daily basis between Cameroon and Nigeria. It is not surprising, that the highest number of foreigners living in Cameroon, are, Nigerians. They are mostly the Igbos from eastern Nigeria. There are also many Cameroonians living in Nigeria, though there is no comparison as regard the number of Nigerians living in Cameroon. As a Nigerian diplomat in Cameroon recently pointed out, Nigeria has the highest number of diplomatic missions in Cameroon – A High Commission, and three Consulates. It tells it all.
Many Cameroonians that are into business, especially trading, buy their goods from neighbouring Nigeria. Those living in the Southern part of Cameroon buy from Eastern Nigeria, while those in Northern part of Cameroon buy from Northern Nigeria.
It should as well be noted that in Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala, where hundreds of thousands of Nigerians live and do business, there are now bus agencies like ‘Connecting Africa”, which transport passengers from Douala straight to Enugu and Onitsha in Eastern Nigeria, and vice versa. On Fridays, at least five 70 seat busses of “Connecting Africa”, leave Douala in the evenings for Nigeria. Enugu Airlines has also launched a direct flight from Enugu in Eastern Nigeria, to Douala, and back. All these, are just to show the high traffic flow between Nigeria and Cameroon.
Very Porous Border
Though Cameroon’s Minister of Public Health says there is already ongoing health screening at the land border crossings between Cameroon and Nigeria, he is referring to official land border crossings. But the fact is that the border between Cameroon and neighbouring Nigeria is not only very long, but also very porous, and thus there are many people, especially unscrupulous traders that are involved in smuggling, that do not pass at the official land border crossings. All these increases the scare or panic in Cameroon, that if the Ebolo virus unfortunately happens to spread or go loose in Nigeria, it will easily enter Cameroon.
BELOW IS AN EXCERPT OF THE PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH, DR MANAOUDA MALACHIE, ON THE EBOLA VIRUS:
“Given the high level of human and commercial movement between Cameroon and other countries in the sub – region, and although no cases of Ebola virus disease have been recorded in Cameroon to date, this situation nevertheless calls for heightened vigilance and rigorous anticipation of health risks.
Consequently, as of today, the Government has initiated the strengthening of surveillance and preparedness measures across the entire country, including:
– Systematic health screening of travelers at airports, seaports, and land border crossings.
– Placing healthcare facilities and rapid response teams on high alert.
– Preparing isolation sites for the potential management of cases.
– Mobilizing reference laboratories to ensure early diagnoses.
It should be recalled that Ebola Virus disease is transmitted through direct contact with blood, secretions, or body fluids of an individual who is ill with, or has died from contact with contaminated objects. Symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, accompanied by intense fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in some cases, bleeding.
In light of this, Dr Malachie Manaouda urges the public to observe essential public health measures, including:
– Regularly washing hands with soap and running water.
– Avoid any contact with individuals showing signs of the disease
– Do not handle the bodies of deceased persons in cases involving bleeding.
– Avoid handling or consuming bush meat and animals found dead.
Seek immediate care at the nearest health facility or call the toll – free number 1510 if a fever develops within 21 days of visiting an affected country, or following contact with an individual showing signs suggestive of the disease.
Finally, while emphasizing that the Government intends to reaffirm its determination to anticipate any health threat and, under the esteemed guidance of the Head of State, His Excellency Paul BIYA, to ensure the protection of the health of the Cameroonian population, the Minister of Public Health wishes to reassure the public that health authorities remain fully mobilized. He urges the population to exercise vigilance, remain calm, and act responsibly to prevent the potential introduction of this disease into the country”.
DR Congo, Uganda, France , Kenya And Nigeria
Meanwhile, DR Congo (former Zaire), precisely the eastern part of the country, remains the main ‘base’ of the deadly Ebola virus. Neighbouring Uganda and France have also this year recorded cases of the Ebola virus, with the source of the disease traced to DR Congo. Last week Kenya and Nigeria joined the list. While one case of the Ebola virus was diagnosed in Nigeria, as many as seven were reportedly diagnosed in Kenya.
Statistics that were published by Clavere Nken, Communication Service of the Ministry of Public Health in Cameroon on Friday, October 23, 2026, showed that as by that day, a total of 9,637 persons had been diagnosed with the Ebola virus this year in DR Congo, with as many as 4,446 deaths, that is 48.2 % of the infected persons. That is really a very high death rate.
It should be noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) is heavily involved in the fight against the Ebola virus in DR Congo, especially in its treatment. One can only imagined how the situation in DR Congo would have been, if WHO and other partners were not involved in the fight against the deadly Ebola virus.
