Red Cross raises alarm over Lassa fever spread in Nigeria
The International Federation of Red Cross has expressed concern over the alarming spread of Lassa Fever to new areas across Nigeria.
Speaking at a Lassa fever roundtable dialogue in Abuja on Tuesday, IFRC’s Operations Coordinator, Francis Salako, emphasised the need for urgent action.
He said to combat the outbreak, the IFRC, in cooperation with the Red Cross, was supporting Nigerian efforts through the Disaster Response Imaging Fund.
The focus areas, he said included improving detection and surveillance in six states: Delta, Benue, Rivers, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Kaduna.
He also said that building trust and knowledge with communities to enable informed decision-making was necessary.
Mr Salako further emphasised investing in surveillance, capacity building, and prevention efforts to make health systems resilient.
He said, “As of week 40, 2024, Nigeria has reported 8,484 Lassa Fever cases, with 174 deaths and 35 healthcare workers among the casualties. The IFRC and Nigerian Red Cross Society are committed to long-term health interventions, fostering a collaborative environment, and sharing expertise to make a meaningful difference. The IFRC approved 362,000 Swiss Franc through its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support Nigeria’s national Lassa fever response.’’
(NAN)
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