THE Ebonyi State government has confirmed the death of 23 people in the state from Lassa fever, with 48 confirmed cases recorded between January and December 2024.
The state governor, Francis Nwifuru disclosed this on December 5, during an event organised by the state Ministry of Health in Abakaliki, the state capital.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) described Lassa fever as an acute viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, mostly through the type of rodents known as the multimammate rat or the African rat.
The disease can be spread through direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva, or the blood of infected rats or contaminated objects, faeces, saliva, or the blood of infected rats.
Though to a lesser extent, secondary human-to-human transmission can also occur through direct contact with infected persons’ blood, secretions, organs, or other body fluids, especially in health-care settings, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Meanwhile, while speaking on the cases recorded, the governor noted that out of 394 suspected and 48 confirmed cases, only 25 patients were successfully treated and discharged, as the remaining 23 others died from the disease.
He emphasised the government’s efforts to strengthen the healthcare system and prevent future outbreaks of the disease.
The governor attributed the spread of the virus to socio-cultural practices, poor health-seeking behaviors, inadequate sanitation, and low awareness among the population.
“In Ebonyi State, we have recorded 394 suspected cases since January till date with 48 confirmed cases out of which 23 persons died of the disease while 25 were treated and discharged home.
“The spread of this virus is believed to be facilitated by socio-cultural practice, poor health-seeking behaviours, poor environmental sanitation and lack of awareness”.
According to him, the state government has prioritised healthcare improvements.
Nwifuru announced plans to establish specialist hospitals in each of Ebonyi’s three senatorial zones to improve access to quality healthcare, especially in rural areas.
“Our administration is committed to ensuring that every Ebonyi citizen enjoys basic, affordable, quality and accessible healthcare through our numerous interventions such as employment of qualified personnel to work in our hospitals, procurement of hospital equipment and consumables,” he stated.
He also revealed that significant allocations was made in the 2025 budget to enhance public health infrastructure, bolster surveillance systems, and engage communities in disease prevention and control.
On September 9, The ICIR reported that a new study projected that the deployment of a Lassa fever vaccine across 15 West African countries could save 3,300 lives and prevent societal costs amounting to $128 million over the next decade.
The research, conducted by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) alongside experts from Oxford and Liverpool Universities, and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and published by Nature Medicine on August 28, 2024, noted the urgent need for a Lassa fever vaccine to prevent the ongoing spread of the viral disease.
The report also highlighted the impact of Lassa fever on healthcare costs, with thousands of people being hospitalised each year.
The modelling, which predicted approximately 2.7 million Lassa virus infections yearly, indicated that a population-wide vaccination campaign targeting endemic areas could avert 19,000 hospitalisations, 3,300 deaths, and 164,100 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).
This strategy, according to the study, would also prevent needless healthcare spending for over 14,000 people and save $128.2 million in societal costs.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M