Lassa fever campaign heats up in wake of healthworker deaths

A network, Doctors’ Time Out Family (DTOF) has begun open-air campaign to raise awareness about Lassa fever, after the latest outbreak of the disease killed at least three health workers in a federal hospital in Ebonyi. A total 10 health workers have been infected in four states in January alone, bringing total number of confirmed […]

A network, Doctors’ Time Out Family (DTOF) has begun open-air campaign to raise awareness about Lassa fever, after the latest outbreak of the disease killed at least three health workers in a federal hospital in Ebonyi.

A total 10 health workers have been infected in four states in January alone, bringing total number of confirmed infections to 61. A total 16 people have died in one month.

DTOF, alongside members of the Nigerian Medical Association in Abuja and resident doctors at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital took Lassa awareness campaign to Wuse Market in Abuja, citing reported cases of Lassa fever infection in surrounding states.

Some 1o samples, including one from a patient at Asokoro district hospital, which caused a Lassa fever scare in Abuja in recent weeks, have all tested negative at a Lassa fever reference laboratory in Irrua, Edo state.

The campaign in English is hinged on preventing Lassa fever through personal, food and environmental hygiene—and also doubles as an outreach for people passing through the market to undergo basic vitals and sugar tests.

Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration public health department, involved in health promotion and education, are helping relay the campaign in Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo.

“Lassa fever is not respecter of persons. Health worker or no health worker, it is a dangerous disease,” said Chiedozie Achonwa, chairman of the NMA’s chapter in Abuja. Some 40 healthworkers have died from Lassa fever in the last 13 years in Ebonyi alone.

The campaign cites need to keep food away from the multimammate rat which carries Lassa, keep food covered, avoid food contact with rats, and avoid bush burning which drives rats out of the forests and into homes.

Lassa fever has symptoms that mimic malaria, typhoid fever, yellow fever and other haemorrhagic fevers caused by viruses,  and hence requires prompt diagnosis and early on-set of treatment.

But the National Centre for Disease Control, which announced the death of the three health workers in Ebonyi, has maintained health workers must observe universal precaution in hygiene as well as maintain a “high index of suspicion”, which would require them to treat every fever as a suspect.

“We have had a lot of workshops talking to ourselves about universal precaution,” said Achonwa.

“At all times you are ready to prevent contracting any infectious diseases. We have been trying but the thing is: when you talk, not every person heeds.

“NCDC has been talking on the radio [about precaution and prevention], but today we have decided to come to where the people are. These people in the market may not watch TV or listen to radio.”

Lassa fever is among viral fevers that cause bleeding from body openings. Its symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, chest and muscle pain, facial swelling.

Severe cases come with bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or intestines.