Abuja, 21 November, 2024 – In Nigeria, susceptible populations, especially those in underserved communities, remain at high likelihood of infectious diseases, including Lassa fever—an acute viral hemorrhagic illness induced by the Lassa virus.
Endemic in Nigeria, Lassa fever continues to absorb an tag on hundreds yearly, with the dry season (December–April) being the height transmission length. In 2024, the illness has been particularly severe, with 1,059 confirmed cases reported all the blueprint in which thru 28 states, resulting in 175 deaths (16.6% case fatality price). Alarmingly, 35 healthcare workers absorb been infected during the outbreak, underscoring the urgent need for grand infection prevention measures.
The Lassa virus is basically transmitted to folks thru publicity to food or household objects contaminated with the urine or feces of infected Mastomys rats. Secondary transmission can happen thru dispute contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, posing main risks to healthcare and laboratory workers who lack sufficient protecting measures.
Scaling Up Preparedness and Response Efforts
Because the dry season approaches its height, the World Neatly being Group (WHO) is intensifying its attend to the Nigerian govt, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and relate governments to give a enhance to preparedness and response.
Reaffirming WHO’s dedication to curbing Lassa fever, Dr. Ann Fortin, WHO Team Lead for Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Cluster, emphasised: “With funding from the Executive of Canada (thru the CanGiVE Undertaking), WHO is helping give a enhance to early detection and confirmation of suspected cases, ensuring optimal supportive care, and enhancing infection prevention and management measures in designated properly being products and companies all the blueprint in which thru affected states.”
WHO’s technical help focuses on coordinated responses, improved surveillance, efficient properly being information management, and likelihood conversation and neighborhood engagement. Advocacy efforts are also underway to align key stakeholders for a unified and more functional response.
Targeted Interventions in High-Burden States
In Benue Bid, one in every of the toughest-hit areas with 64 confirmed cases and 11 deaths in 2024, WHO has utilized centered interventions to create native capability. These efforts include: –
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Training principal healthcare workers, lickety-split response teams, neighborhood volunteers, and surveillance focal points in high-likelihood native govt areas.
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Promoting early illness detection and neighborhood-led responses.
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Raising awareness about behavioral modifications, comparable to improved ruin management and rodent management.
Expressing appreciation for WHO’s attend, Dr. Paul M. Asema, Bid Epidemiologist for Benue Bid Ministry of Neatly being and Human Products and companies, acknowledged: “The relate deeply appreciates WHO’s contributions to protecting the properly being of our of us, especially during these serious outbreaks. A One Neatly being capacity remains key to strengthening our response and ensuring progress towards properly being for all.”
Broader Attend Across Precedence States
In addition to Benue, WHO is providing serious attend to Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Bauchi, and Ebonyi states, focusing on:
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Supplying non-public protecting tools (PPE) for healthcare workers.
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Improving diagnostic and laboratory processes, including efficient sample assortment.
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Enhancing case management and standardizing infection prevention practices.
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Disseminating properly being messages to communities, reaching over 35,000 individuals with life-saving information about Lassa fever prevention and management.
Empowering Communities: A Story of Hope
In the Ortese Camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue Bid, WHO’s neighborhood engagement efforts absorb offered serious attend to residents adore Mrs. Nyioun Adaga. “When I heard a neighbor in the camp had Lassa fever, I used to be terrified,” recollects Mrs. Adaga. “However the healthcare body of workers sensitized us on prevention measures, giving me self belief to defend myself and my family. I’m grateful for his or her guidance.
Aligned with National and International Neatly being Priorities
WHO’s interventions align with its Nation Cooperation Formulation 2023–2027, the Thirteenth No longer fresh Programme of Work (GPW13), and key Federal Executive frameworks, including the National Neatly being Act, National Lunge Plot for Neatly being Security, and Neatly being Sector Renewal Initiative.
By leveraging multi-sectoral approaches, WHO and its partners are working tirelessly to guarantee no one is left behind in the fight against Lassa fever and totally different infectious diseases in Nigeria.
