Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has confirmed that the state has recorded 23 deaths and 48 confirmed cases of Lassa fever between January and December 2024.
Nwifuru reported that 25 individuals infected with Lassa fever were treated and discharged, expressing grief over those who lost their lives and commending Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for saving the lives of those who survived, reports Vanguard.
The governor made this disclosure during the handover ceremony of MSF’s Lassa fever support activities to the state’s Ministry of Health. He lamented the high fatality rate of Lassa fever, both in Ebonyi and across Nigeria.
He stated, “The giant humanitarian strides recorded by MSF in the health and well-being of our people in Ebonyi State are enormous. As a government, we are highly indebted to you. Today, we gather to applaud the splendid efforts of our international health ally, MSF, also known as ‘Doctors Without Borders.”
MSF officially partnered with Ebonyi State in 2018, providing support in surveillance, diagnosis, case management, prevention, control measures, and humanitarian aid for Lassa fever.
Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, is transmitted by multi-mammate rats.
Due to Ebonyi’s tropical environment, with bush masses and forests where these animal hosts and virus reservoirs dwell, the disease has become endemic in Nigeria and other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. It typically occurs in outbreaks, with peaks from December to April.
Governor Nwifuru highlighted the role of poor health-seeking behavior, inadequate environmental sanitation, lack of awareness, and limited community engagement in the spread of the virus. He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving healthcare for Ebonyians, with particular focus on life-threatening diseases such as Lassa fever and cholera.
He added that his administration has supported healthcare through the employment of qualified personnel, procurement of medical equipment, and revitalization of 171 primary healthcare centers across the state.
Additionally, new ambulances, motorcycles for primary healthcare officers, and SUVs for doctors in general hospitals have been provided.
“I promise to offer you every feasible support you need to accomplish your goals in Ebonyi State,” Governor Nwifuru concluded.
