The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has launched an investigation into whether medicines administered to a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member may have contributed to his death at the orientation camp in Agwu, Enugu State.

The probe follows reports suggesting a possible link between the death and the use of substandard or falsified medicines. However, the agency said preliminary clinical findings had not established whether the medicines played any role in the incident.

In a statement signed by its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC urged the public to avoid speculation about the cause of death pending the outcome of the investigation.

According to the agency, preliminary information indicated that the corps member was taken to the camp clinic on Wednesday, October 7, with symptoms suggestive of severe malaria and a history of peptic ulcer disease.

He was treated and stabilised before being discharged the following morning with oral medications.

However, he returned to the clinic on Saturday, October 10, complaining of right thigh pain and profuse sweating, alongside recurrent episodes of low blood pressure.

NAFDAC said his condition subsequently deteriorated, with reduced urine output despite fluid resuscitation. He was then referred to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, where he became comatose.

Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. A preliminary clinical assessment identified acute kidney injury secondary to severe dehydration and shock as the suspected cause of death.

The agency stressed, however, that the findings did not establish whether the medicines administered to the corps member contributed to his death, adding that further investigation was necessary to determine any possible connection.

As part of the probe, NAFDAC said its officers had visited the camp clinic, interviewed the medical personnel who attended to the deceased and other staff, and collected samples of the medicines for laboratory analysis.

The agency said appropriate regulatory action would be taken if warranted by the findings.

While expressing condolences to the family of the deceased, NAFDAC urged the public to remain calm and allow the investigation to run its course.

It reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that medicines available in Nigeria meet the required standards of safety, quality and efficacy.

The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), thus raising fresh public health concerns as authorities begin tracing 44 people who may have been exposed to the infection.

The patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before laboratory tests confirmed the disease on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

The Federal Government said the woman had been placed in isolation and was receiving medical care, while public health authorities intensified surveillance and contact tracing to prevent further transmission.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, however, assured Nigerians that the government was working with the FCT authorities and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to contain the infection.

The minister said the 44 identified close contacts included people whose exposure may have occurred through healthcare interactions, as well as healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.

He told journalists that public health teams had commenced efforts to identify and monitor individuals who may have come into contact with the patient.

“Similarly, the hospital where the woman received treatment is also receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures,” he said.

The government called on public and private healthcare facilities across the country to remain on high alert, urging health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, and immediately report them to public health authorities.

It also stressed the need for strict adherence to infection prevention and control procedures in healthcare facilities.

Explaining how the disease spreads, the minister said Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease, or through contact with contaminated materials.

He added that an infected person cannot transmit the disease before symptoms begin. “Nigerians are advised to remain calm but vigilant, practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected to have Ebola,” he said.

The minister also urged citizens to watch out for symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly following possible exposure. “Those who suspect they may have been exposed are advised to report immediately to public health authorities, even if they were not experiencing symptoms.”

“Also, anyone who develops symptoms should avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility,” he added.

The minister further urged people contacted during the tracing exercise, including relevant airline passengers, to cooperate with health officials, provide necessary information and comply with public health advice.

The Ondo chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says the state lost about 400 doctors to migration and other forms of workforce attrition in the last five years, leaving about 500 doctors in public health institutions across the state.

Roland Arohunmolase, NMA chairman in Ondo, disclosed this in Akure on Monday during activities marking the 2026 Physicians’ Week, themed “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria”.

Speaking on behalf of Afekhide Omoti, NMA national president, Arohunmolase said the shortage had increased the workload on remaining doctors and raised concerns about the quality of healthcare available to residents.

“As of today, we barely have 500 doctors across state and federal government health establishments in Ondo state, excluding the private sector. Based on the records available to me, we have about 500 doctors,” Arohunmolase said.

He said the number of doctors in the state’s healthcare system previously stood at about 900 to 1,000, but approximately 400 had since left.

Arohunmolase appealed to the state government to introduce measures to attract and retain medical professionals, including better remuneration and improved working conditions.

He said such efforts would help reduce burnout among doctors and other healthcare workers who have to cope with the demands of an understaffed health system.

Arohunmolase also linked medical tourism among wealthy Nigerians to inadequate infrastructure and shortages of essential equipment in the country’s hospitals.

“I believe they go abroad because they themselves know the inadequacies that exist within our system,” he said, arguing that the failure to provide essential equipment and modern medical technology had undermined public confidence in local healthcare services.

“The challenge is not necessarily the competence of our doctors but the inadequacies within the healthcare system. These shortcomings undermine public confidence and encourage people, particularly politicians, to continue seeking medical treatment overseas.”

Arohunmolase also called for increased government investment in healthcare.

He noted that increased funding was necessary to improve hospital infrastructure, provide essential equipment, strengthen working conditions and offer competitive remuneration to medical professionals.