The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Nigerian Medical Association have strengthened collaboration to address the rising cases of Lassa fever in the country, with a focus on protecting healthcare workers and improving early detection of the disease.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, convened a strategic meeting with the leadership of the NMA to review the current epidemiological situation of Lassa fever and assess the increasing risk faced by frontline health workers.
The engagement also discussed the role of medical practitioners in strengthening clinical vigilance across health facilities during the ongoing transmission season.
As part of the outcome of the meeting, both organisations jointly issued and signed a national advisory to doctors and healthcare professionals across the country.
The advisory urged medical personnel to maintain a high level of suspicion for Lassa fever in patients presenting with symptoms of febrile illness.
It also called for early detection, prompt isolation, and immediate reporting of suspected cases to relevant health authorities.
Healthcare workers were further encouraged to strictly comply with infection prevention and control measures while promoting responsible use of antimicrobial drugs in clinical practice.
During the meeting, the NCDC also highlighted its 30-day national infection prevention and control action plan aimed at reducing infections among healthcare workers and strengthening safety practices in health facilities, particularly in high-burden areas.
Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to working together to improve Nigeria’s outbreak response and protect healthcare workers from infection.
They also stressed the need for continued collaboration to strengthen the country’s health security and reduce the spread of Lassa fever.
