The National Association of Nigerian Students has called on the Federal Government to reserve positions for student representatives on the country’s Ebola Emergency Response Committee, saying such inclusion would improve awareness campaigns and public health education in tertiary institutions.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by NANS spokesperson Obidah David, the association praised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to establish the committee, describing it as an important step towards protecting Nigerians from a potential Ebola outbreak.
According to NANS President Akinteye Babatunde, students can play a crucial role in spreading accurate health information and supporting preparedness efforts within campuses if they are represented on the committee.
The association pointed out that millions of students live and interact in shared environments such as hostels and lecture halls, making them an important group for targeted health interventions.
The statement read in part, “Students constitute a significant percentage of Nigeria’s population, with millions residing and interacting daily within campuses, hostels and other educational environments that require targeted public health awareness and preventive measures.
“The inclusion of student representatives will provide a strategic platform for effective dissemination of information, grassroots mobilisation and health sensitisation campaigns across universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions nationwide.”
NANS also expressed its willingness to partner with health authorities, schools and other stakeholders to organise sensitisation programmes focused on prevention, early detection and responsible health behaviour.
The student body maintained that involving students in the response framework would encourage wider participation, strengthen trust in public health measures and ensure reliable information reaches campuses across the country.
Reaffirming its support for government initiatives aimed at safeguarding public health, NANS urged authorities to consider its proposal as part of efforts to enhance national health security.
The appeal comes as the Federal Government ramps up measures to prepare for any possible Ebola outbreak. Nigeria’s successful containment of the virus in 2014 remains a notable example of effective disease control, with experts continuing to emphasise public awareness and community participation as key tools in preventing future outbreaks.
