Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC202591 (Oral 001) | Published: 07 Aug 2025
Aishat Bukola Usman1,&, Virgil Lokossou1, Joshua Ofoli2, Sylvanus Okogbenin3, Audu Onyemocho4, Moses Tuko5, Lionel Sogbossi1, Andrew Awori1, Melchior Aïssi1
1West African Health Organization, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, 2World Health Organization, Abuja, Nigeria, 3Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria, 4Federal University of Health Sciences, Benue State, Nigeria, 5Federal Medical Center, Kebbi State, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Aishat Bukola Usman, West African Health Organization, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, Email: ausman@prj.wahooas.org
Received: 31 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 07 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa fever, Clinical case management, ECOWAS, Simulation exercise, Health workforce capacity
©Aishat Bukola Usman et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Aishat Bukola Usman et al., Building a skilled workforce for Lassa fever response: Regional clinical management training outcomes in the ECOWAS region. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00001. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00001
Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic illness endemic to West Africa, poses significant public health challenges due to its high morbidity and mortality rates, especially among healthcare workers (HCWs) and vulnerable populations. In response to these challenges and the recurring outbreaks in the ECOWAS region, a Regional Training of Trainers on Clinical Management of Lassa Fever was held from March 24–28, 2025, in Lomé, Togo. This training, organized by the West African Health Organization (WAHO) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, aimed to enhance the region’s capacity to manage Lassa fever cases by equipping clinicians with up-to-date knowledge and practical skills.
Thirty-five participants from 10 ECOWAS Member States were trained using a dual-pathway approach that focused on early detection and referral and Intensive clinical management. The methodology combined expert-led presentations, practical demonstrations, scenario-based discussions, and a comprehensive simulation exercise (SIMEX) to reinforce the learning experience.
The training covered key topics including infection prevention and control (IPC), case triage, management of complications (e.g., shock, renal and neurological conditions), laboratory diagnostics, mental health support, and survivor care. A significant highlight was the hands-on simulation at CHU Campus, Lomé, which tested participants’ clinical response in high-risk scenarios. Evaluation results showed an average improvement of 46% in post-test scores and high satisfaction among participants, with 96% affirming the relevance and applicability of the training content. Participants recommended scaling up similar training across Member States and proposed the development of regional guidelines, training manuals, and cross-border referral frameworks.
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