- Ebonyi State reported 23 deaths and 48 confirmed Lassa fever cases in 2024, highlighting the high fatality rate in the region
- Governor Francis Nwifuru emphasizes the need for improved healthcare and community engagement to combat the spread of Lassa fever
Ebonyi State recorded 23 deaths and 48 confirmed cases of Lassa fever between January and December 2024, Governor Francis Nwifuru has revealed.
The governor disclosed that 25 patients received treatment and were successfully discharged while expressing deep sorrow over the lives lost to the disease.
Speaking during the handover of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Lassa fever support activities to the state’s Ministry of Health, Nwifuru acknowledged the high fatality rate in Ebonyi and across Nigeria.
He commended MSF for their significant contributions to the health and well-being of Ebonyi residents.
Since 2018, MSF has supported Ebonyi State in disease surveillance, diagnosis, case management, prevention, control, and humanitarian aid for Lassa fever.
Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus, is primarily spread by multimammate rats. Ebonyi’s tropical environment, with its forests and bushlands, serves as a reservoir for the virus, keeping the disease endemic in the region. Outbreaks typically peak between December and April.
Governor Nwifuru cited factors contributing to the disease’s spread, such as poor health-seeking behaviours, inadequate sanitation, limited awareness, and insufficient community engagement.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare, particularly combating deadly diseases like Lassa fever and cholera.
The governor also outlined initiatives under his administration, including hiring more healthcare workers, purchasing medical equipment, and revitalizing 171 primary healthcare centers across the state.
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