U.S. CDC Expands Lassa Fever Surveillance, Lab Support Across Nigeria

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) has expanded its support for Nigeria's response to Lassa fever, strengthening disease surveillance, laboratory services, infection prevention and public awareness as the country continues to battle seasonal outbreaks.

The agency said the interventions are improving early detection of infections, protecting frontline healthcare workers and enabling communities to respond more effectively to the viral disease.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja, Team Lead for Surveillance and Epidemiology at the U.S. CDC's Division of Global Health Protection, Banji Ipadeola, said the support is focused on improving outbreak coordination, expanding laboratory capacity, strengthening surveillance systems and increasing public awareness to ensure cases are identified and managed promptly.

Ipadeola said one of the agency's immediate priorities during the current outbreak was supporting Nigeria to activate a coordinated emergency response within the first 72 hours.

"We supported Nigeria to activate its response systems, organise response teams and develop action plans within the first 72 hours of the outbreak to ensure a coordinated response," he said.

According to him, rapid intervention at the early stage of an outbreak significantly improves efforts to contain infections before they spread widely.

The epidemiologist noted that healthcare workers remain among those most vulnerable to Lassa fever infection, making infection prevention a key focus of the intervention.

He said the U.S. CDC is supporting investigations into how health workers become infected while strengthening infection prevention and control (IPC) through training, mentoring, webinars, provision of personal protective equipment and safer clinical practices.

Ipadeola disclosed that IPC systems have been strengthened in 41 facilities under the U.S. CDC-supported Orange Network, alongside 90 additional U.S. government-supported health facilities.

The intervention includes training infection prevention focal persons, establishing IPC committees, developing standard operating procedures and improving accountability mechanisms to ensure compliance with safety protocols.

"Through online training, mentoring and focused sessions, we are helping healthcare workers recognise Lassa fever earlier, manage patients appropriately and implement stronger infection prevention and control practices," he said.Zzs

To improve early diagnosis, the U.S. CDC is also supporting laboratory testing, data management, active case-finding and contact tracing in Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Ebonyi and Taraba states.

The programme enables health authorities to quickly identify suspected infections and monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the virus before symptoms develop.

Ipadeola said health facilities in Benue and Edo states have received personal protective equipment, laboratory supplies, testing kits and other medical commodities to strengthen patient care and reduce infections acquired within healthcare facilities.

He added that 10 personnel at the Ondo State Public Health Laboratory have been trained to improve testing capacity and accelerate confirmation of suspected cases.

The agency is also working to strengthen disease reporting by improving data entry systems, enhancing situation reports and ensuring faster transportation of laboratory samples.

"We are improving data entry, strengthening situation reporting and making it easier and faster to transport laboratory samples so that suspected cases can be confirmed without unnecessary delays," he said.

Beyond healthcare facilities, Ipadeola stressed that community engagement remains one of the most effective strategies for controlling Lassa fever outbreaks.

He said the U.S. CDC is supporting community-based disease surveillance and public education to help residents recognise symptoms early, report suspected infections promptly and seek medical attention before complications develop.

According to him, stronger community participation improves early detection, enhances contact tracing and reduces opportunities for the virus to spread within households and communities.

Public awareness campaigns are also educating residents on preventive measures such as proper food storage, improved environmental sanitation and limiting contact with rodents, the primary carriers of the Lassa fever virus.

Experts Call for Sustained Investment

As Nigeria continues to experience seasonal Lassa fever outbreaks, Ipadeola said sustained investment in disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, frontline healthcare workers and public awareness remains critical to protecting lives.

Public health experts have consistently maintained that early diagnosis and prompt treatment significantly improve survival rates while reducing severe illness.

They also noted that resilient primary healthcare systems, functional laboratories, well-trained healthcare workers and informed communities remain essential to strengthening Nigeria's preparedness and response to infectious disease outbreaks.