Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025262 (Oral 066) | Published: 14 Aug 2025
Esther Chioma Fejiokwu1,&, Ebelechukwu Chinwe Metuh1, Favour Makava Adeniji2, Yetunde Abioye1, Chijioke Mba3, Yashe Usman Rimamdeyati1, Rejoice Kudirat Luka-Lawal1, Fatima Saleh1, Olajide Idris1
1Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria, 2Jhpiego Abuja, Nigeria, 3Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Esther Chioma Fejiokwu, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 801 Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi, Abuja, Nigeria. Email: esther.fejiokwu@ncdc.gov.ng
Received: 20 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Aug 2025, Published: 14 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa Fever, Epidemiologic Surveillance, Outbreaks, Emergency Responders, Public Health, Intersectoral Collaboration
©Esther Chioma Fejiokwu 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: Esther Chioma Fejiokwu et al Strengthening rapid response capacity for Lassa Fever outbreaks in Nigeria: Lessons from multi-sectoral national RRT deployments in 2025. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00066. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00066
Lassa Fever is a recurring public health threat in Nigeria, especially during the dry season. In 2025, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) deployed multidisciplinary National Rapid Response Teams (NRRTs) to affected states. This study highlights the implementation and outcomes of these deployments as a model for enhancing outbreak containment through coordinated, data-driven, multi-sectoral response efforts.
Following an activation of the Lassa Fever Incident Management System on 20 December 2024, NCDC deployed NRRTs to ten states between January and February 2025. The first batch targeted seven high-burden states – Bauchi, Ondo, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Kogi, with representatives from surveillance, laboratory, case management, coordination, logistics, risk communication, and environmental health. Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (NFELTP) fellows were included to support field epidemiology and research. As cases surged in new areas and declined in a previously high burden state, a second deployment followed to Benue, Gombe, and Nasarawa. Coordination involved federal agencies, state ministries of health, AFENET and WHO.
Balanced pillar representation and NFELTP inclusion enhanced surveillance, analytics, research, and decision making. NRRTs conducted active case searches, capacity building, health worker and community sensitization, and IPC assessments in isolation centers. Referral systems were reinforced to reduce mortality. Testing delays were escalated to NCDC and state authorities, prompting stronger state level case management and improved national support for newly optimized laboratories. These labs increased testing and reporting, expanding the national network from 8 to 10 laboratories – a 20% rise, and situation reports improved in quality. The response strengthened coordination and subnational engagement.
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