Posted on: Thu 27-02-2025

Health experts have urged the government to focus on the development of a Lassa fever vaccine that will prevent further outbreaks of the virus. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced recently that Lassa fever claimed 952 Nigerian lives in 2024, despite the efforts to prevent further outbreaks.

Director General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, said the centre is committed to safeguarding the health of all Nigerians, and advised Nigerians to avoid consuming foods infected by rodents by imbibing the culture of proper storage of their foods to prevent Lassa fever infections.

Also, medical virologist/infectious disease expert, Dr Solomon Chollom, said there is a need for the development of a vaccine to curb the Lassa fever outbreak. He said the lack of vaccine has resulted in the deaths of many Nigerians and many hospitalised.

“This should be the role of any government in Nigeria to sponsor production vaccines to prevent further mortality caused by the virus,” Chollom said one of the peculiar challenges is that it leverages seasonal changes, in which the vector of the virus is rodents/rats.

These rats live in the bushes and the homes. During the rainy season, there are enough grasses and bushes, so they are comfortable as they get all their food in the bush.

Public Health Physician and Health Promotion Specialist, Dr Obinna Ebirim, said people must keep foods or drinks away from rats, and protect themselves and others from being affected by keeping their environment clean and appropriately disposing of their refuse, as well as reigniting community sanitation practices.

He said to keep foods and drinks away from rats, foods must be stored in rodent-proof containers, food properly cooked before eating and water well boiled, avoid eating rat delicacies, and open spreading of grains where they are exposed to rodents.

Ebirim stated that laboratories must implement appropriate handling of Lassa samples while healthcare workers must apply infection prevention and control measures like hand washing, respiratory hygiene and use of personal protective equipment (PPEs).

A public health physician and lecturer at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Dr Modupe Akinyinka, said transmission of the Lassa fever virus to humans occurs most commonly through ingestion or inhalation.

Akinyinka said the government should ensure people receive health education on how to prevent the virus and early detection to avoid spread. Also funding of healthcare to quickly identify and treat patients, as well as research for possible vaccination.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

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