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Gulumbe, B. H., Aminu, U., Liman, U. U., Abdulrahim, A., & Kalgo, Z. M. (2023). Recurring Outbreaks of Lassa Fever in Nigeria: Understanding the Root Causes and Strategies for the Future. Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences (SJMS), 18(2), 257–264. https://doi.org/10.18502/sjms.v18i2.13608

https://doi.org/10.18502/sjms.v18i2.13608

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authors

  • Bashar Haruna Gulumbe

    Bashar Haruna Gulumbe

    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria
    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0642-6902
  • Uzairu Aminu

    Uzairu Aminu

    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria
  • Usman Umar Liman

    Usman Umar Liman

    Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria
  • Abdulrakib Abdulrahim

    Abdulrakib Abdulrahim

    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria
  • Zaharaddin Muhammad Kalgo

    Zaharaddin Muhammad Kalgo

    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria

Published Date

  • Jun 30, 2023

Recurring Outbreaks of Lassa Fever in Nigeria: Understanding the Root Causes and Strategies for the Future

Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences (SJMS) / Sudan JMS: Volume 18 (2023), Issue No. 2 / Pages 257–264

Abstract

Lassa fever is a severe public health problem in Nigeria with far-reaching political, social, cultural, and religious ramifications. Thus, a further understanding of the disease is critical. Despite attempts to end the viral epidemic, the illness has persisted, leading to several major outbreaks in decades. Additionally, the country’s epidemic in 2019– 2020 set a new global record for the number of Lassa fever cases. This year, 244 cases and 37 deaths had been reported as of January 2023. To identify gaps and provide recommendations for the complete eradication of Lassa fever in the country. This paper investigates the underlying causes of the continuous outbreaks of the illness in Nigeria and the measures to prevent it. The frequent outbreaks of Lassa fever in Nigeria have been linked to several factors, including inadequate waste management, poor sanitation, restricted access to healthcare, and abject poverty. The reoccurring outbreaks are also attributed to a lack of political will, funding, poor coordination and communication, and low public awareness of the illness and its prevention. To effectively stop outbreaks of Lassa fever in Nigeria, the government and partners must continuously put into practice tried-and-true prevention measures such as improved surveillance to detect outbreaks earlier, increased funding and resources to support effective control measures, better primary healthcare facilities and training for healthcare professionals, heightened community engagement and education to raise awareness, and more effective vector control methods to reduce rodent populations, while looking for innovative approaches and dealing with the underlying social and economic problems contributing to the viral persistence.

Keywords:

Lassa fever, hemorrhagic fever, LHF, Nigeria, viral infection

References
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