By Edoamaowo Udeme
The World Health Organization (WHO), has intervened to strengthen the rapid containment of Lassa Fever since the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), declared its outbreak in January 2019.
From 01 to 27 January 2019, a total of 213 cases including 41 deaths has been confirmed from sixteen states of the federation.
The states, Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe, Anambra, Kaduna, Kwara, FCT, Benue, Rivers, Nassarawa and Kogi States across 40 Local Government Areas(LGA). represents a significant increase in the number of cases reported compared to the same period in 2018.
According to Dr Peter Clement, the WHO Officer in Charge (OIC) for Nigeria, on Friday in Abuja “The WHO is mobilizing experts to intervene in investigations, contact-tracing, risk communication and plans are underway to strengthen efforts to further assist Nigeria in controlling the Lassa fever outbreak”.
He stressed that “WHO has intensified its technical assistance to State and Federal authorities in investigation and response to the outbreak” .
“WHO reorganized its staff to provide assistance to each of the response pillars and directed field offices to assist in outbreak investigation, coordination and response activities at the state level” said Clement.
According to him, “WHO is supporting coordination, enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, and risk communication. We are also mobilizing experts to support case management and detailed epidemiological analysis to monitor situation in the affected states.”
“Through the polio infrastructure in the State field offices, WHO is also providing technical assistance and coordination of partners in the affected states”. He noted
In Edo State, one of the worst hit states, the Commissioner for Health, Dr David Osifo “WHO continues to strengthen capacity of health workers, conduct disease surveillance as well as other control measures which include coordination of contact tracing on behalf of SMOH and engagement with communities”.
Since the outbreak, WHO in collaboration with Ministries of Health in the affected States has assisted all components of the response
