Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025253 (Oral 104) | Published: 14 Aug 2025
Okpachi Christopher Abbah1,2,&, Ubong Akpan Okon1,3, Oyeladun Okunromade1,2, Lorna Williams-Enenche1,2, Austin Ojotule4
1Nigeria Field Epidemiology & Laboratory Training Programme, Abuja Nigeria, 2Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja Nigeria, 3Public Health Information, Surveillance Solutions and Systems, Abuja, Nigeria, 4Kogi State Ministry of Health, Lokoja, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Okpachi Christopher Abbah, Nigeria Field Epidemiology & Laboratory Training Programme, Abuja Nigeria, Email:theocabbah@gmail.com
Received: 31 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 14 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa fever, public health surveillance, programme evaluation, health information system, Nigeria
©Okpachi Christopher Abbah 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: Okpachi Christopher Abbah et al., Evaluation of Lassa fever surveillance system in Kogi State, north-central Nigeria. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00104. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00104
Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic disease endemic in West Africa, remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, with 10,098 suspected cases, 1,309 confirmed, and 214 deaths reported across 28 states and 139 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 2024. Kogi State, an important route linking the north to the south of Nigeria, ranked fourth in confirmed cases in 2021. Surveillance system evaluations are critical for informing disease control and assessing performance. This study evaluated the Lassa fever surveillance system in Kogi State to assess its key attributes.
In March 2024, a mixed-methods evaluation was conducted, guided by the Centers for Disease Control’s updated public health surveillance evaluation guidelines. Surveillance data from 2022–2023 were analysed using the state line list. Key informant interviews were held with 18 Local Government Area Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (LGA DSNOs) and four state-level stakeholders. System attributes such as simplicity, flexibility, data quality, and acceptability were assessed using descriptive statistics. Ethical approval was obtained from the Kogi State Ministry of Health.
The response rate among DSNOs was 85.7%, with participants averaging 47.9±7.2 years of age and 23.8±5.9 years of service. Data revealed 112 suspected Lassa fever cases, 38 confirmed (33.9% positivity), and 12 deaths, indicating a case fatality rate of 31.6%. Most respondents (94%) had dedicated personnel for data verification. The system was largely viewed as simple and flexible, with 88.9% reporting the forms could accommodate changes. Despite challenges with logistics and funding, participants expressed continued commitment to the system.
Kogi State’s Lassa fever surveillance system is effective, demonstrating simplicity, acceptability, and flexibility. However, challenges in stability and resource availability may limit long-term performance. Strengthening the system through improved funding, continuous training, and staff incentives is recommended to enhance sustainability and effectiveness in Lassa fever detection and response.
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