Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025326 (Oral 044) | Published: 12 Aug 2025
Amobi Omoha1,&, Benjamin Sunday Uzochukwu2, Casmir Ndubuisi Ochie1, Chinyere Cecilia Okeke1, Emeka John Aneke1, Sunday Davison Nnaji3
1Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Ituku-Ozalla Enugu, Nigeria, 2WACP/Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, 3Department of Community Medicine, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Amobi Omoha, Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria. Email: doctoramobiomoha@gmail.com
Received: 15 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 12 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lessons to action, Stakeholder insight, Lassa fever outbreak, intervention strategies, Ebonyi State
©Amobi Omoha 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: Amobi Omoha et al., From lessons to action: Stakeholders’ insights from past interventions in Lassa fever outbreak in Ebonyi State, Nigeria for improved public health outcomes. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00044. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00044
Lassa fever remains a significant public health concern, especially in West Africa, where it is endemic. Nigeria continues to experience recurrent outbreaks, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Evaluating past outbreaks is crucial to identify effective intervention strategies and existing gaps. This study assessed the effectiveness of previous interventions, community awareness, and engagement in infection prevention and control during the most recent Lassa fever outbreak in Ebonyi State
This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 305 stakeholders across 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Ebonyi State, using a mixed-methods approach. Data were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires and key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, while thematic content analysis was applied to qualitative data. Means and standard deviations summarized continuous variables, and frequencies and proportions described categorical variables. Associations between variables were tested using Chi-square, with statistical significance set at p ≤ 0.05.
Most stakeholders were aware of Lassa fever symptoms, primarily through media sources. Notably, 61.3% participated in Lassa fever prevention programs, supported by qualitative findings which identified community health education and vector control as the most effective strategies. About 34.1% considered the outbreak’s impact to be very serious, while 58.0% expressed low confidence in the health system’s response capacity. Among healthcare providers, 11.5% cited a low index of suspicion as a gap in case management. Additionally, 33.8% emphasized the role of health education in community engagement and raising awareness.
Although stakeholders are aware of effective intervention strategies, a lack of confidence in the health system’s preparedness could undermine future responses. Strengthening health education, environmental sanitation, and healthcare capacity is essential to improve outbreak preparedness and response.
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