The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Federal Government to include student representatives in the national Ebola Emergency Response Committee, saying such inclusion would improve awareness and sensitisation efforts across tertiary institutions in the country.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the association’s Public Relations Officer, Obidah David, on behalf of the leadership.
NANS commended President Bola Tinubu for setting up the Ebola Emergency Response Committee, describing it as a proactive step toward strengthening Nigeria’s public health preparedness.
The association’s president, Akinteye Babatunde, said the involvement of students in the committee would enhance the spread of accurate health information and improve readiness within campuses and other educational environments.
According to NANS, students represent a significant proportion of Nigeria’s population and require targeted public health engagement due to their daily interactions in lecture halls, hostels, and other communal spaces.
“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,” the statement read in part.
The association added that it is prepared to work with health authorities, educational institutions, and other stakeholders to support awareness campaigns on preventive measures, early detection, and responsible health practices.
It also argued that involving students in the emergency response structure would strengthen transparency, accountability, and the reach of public health messaging across campuses.
NANS urged the Federal Government to consider its request in the interest of national health security and the well-being of students across the country.
The call comes as Nigeria continues to reinforce its preparedness framework against potential Ebola outbreaks, following lessons from the 2014 epidemic when the country successfully contained the virus through coordinated public health interventions, contact tracing, and widespread awareness campaigns.
