Nigeria”s “lost respect” for Lassa fever

The chairperson of National Lassa fever steering committee Oyewale Tomori says Nigeria has “lost respect” for viral haemorrhagic fevers, giving room for Lassa fever epidemics to recur nearly every year since it first emerged in 1969. “Our lack of commitment, not owning our own problems, bad governance are what’s responsible,” Tomori said. A professor of […]

The chairperson of National Lassa fever steering committee Oyewale Tomori says Nigeria has “lost respect” for viral haemorrhagic fevers, giving room for Lassa fever epidemics to recur nearly every year since it first emerged in 1969.

“Our lack of commitment, not owning our own problems, bad governance are what’s responsible,” Tomori said.

A professor of virology, he spoke at a high-level panel of Lassa fever organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

The panel on the past, present and future of Lassa fever included the World Health Organisation, Bernard Nochte Institute and the Irrua Specialist Centre, where Lassa fever patients are treated.

“Until we change governance, we will remain where we are. Fifty years from now, if all of you are alive, you will still hear the same story about Lassa.”

“If it were Ebola”

Over the years, infrastructure for managing and containing infectious disease outbreaks has folded, leaving only a couple of labs and the Irrua Specialist hospital to deal with viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks.

Tomori said there was no reason every state could not have isolation wards rather than complain about families wanting to visit hospitalized relatives.

“If it were Ebola, who would come in to visit? We’ve lost respect for Lassa fever, we’ve lost respect for many of these diseases. If any of these cases were Ebola, even if you give them back [their relatives’ bodies], they wouldn’t come near it,” said Tomori.

“Every disease is dangerous. The result of Ebola is death; the result of Lassa is death.”

“Not out of it yet”

Ten weeks into the outbreak, 90 people have died from Lassa fever among 374 confirmed cases of the disease. More than 1300 cases are  suspected.

The magnitude of the current outbreak has exceeded previous outbreaks.

The number of cases confirmed is in decline in the last three weeks. Steady declines indicate graduate exit from the peak period of the diseases, but the NCDC is stepping up surveillance amid concern the outbreak is not yet over.

“Cases are reducing but we are not out of it yet,” said Elsie Ilori, incident manager at the NCDC’s National Lassa fever emergency operations centre.

Epidemiologists have placed the current Lassa fever outbreak on a “priority list” after cases were reported in Sierra Leone and Benin Republic, prompting for research to better understand the virus and its strains, prevent the disease and provide possible vaccine.

“We have the capacity, but we need partners to support us and, most importantly, the government behind us. Yes, we have committed people but when government is not doing what it should do, there is really not much we can do,” Ilori said.

Mobilization continues to ensure the public and health workers maintain hygiene and keep the multimammate rats that carry the virus out of homes.

“There is a lot of development, and bushes have been cleared. The rats don’t have where to stay, they are coming into our homes,” said Ilori.

Up to 90% of all disease infections can be prevented with good hygiene.

The NCDC warns preventing contact of food with rats. It has also issued issued advisories warning health workers to maintain high index of suspicion for Lassa when dealing with any fever.