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03/29/2018

Video: Nigeria battles against a large-scale Lassa fever outbreak

As Nigeria faces its largest-ever recorded outbreak of Lassa fever, an emergency response team from ALIMA (The Alliance for International Medical Action) continues to support the response, which is led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in the two most-affected States: Ondo and Edo.

According to the latest figures from the NCDC, there have been more than 1,600 suspected cases reported between January 1 and March 25, 2018. Nearly 400 of these cases have been confirmed by laboratory testing and 95 people, including 4 health workers, have died.

 

In addition to supporting the treatment of patients free of charge, ALIMA has helped to increase the bed capacity at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo in Ondo State and at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State, trained health workers on Infection Prevention and Control measures, provided personal  protective equipment and donated more than 3,500 doses of ribavirin (the recommend treatment medication) to health centers and facilitated laboratory diagnostics.

 

Watch below to learn more about ALIMA’s support to the Lassa fever response.

 

 


 

ALIMA’s emergency response support to the Lassa fever outbreak is made possible thanks to funding from the ELMA Relief Foundation, the Start Fund and the World Health Organization.

 


 

Cover photo: Etinosa Yvonne / ALIMA