Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025390 (Poster 155) | Published: 13 Aug 2025
Osahogie Isaac Edeawe1,2,&, Efe Petra Edeawe1,3, Ekaete Tobin1,3, Osahon Otaigbe1,3, Mojeed Olaitan Rafiu1,2, Cyril Adams Oshiomhole4, Joseph Okoeguale1, Reuben Agbons Eifediyi5
¹Institute of Viral and Emergent Pathogens Control and Research, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria, ²Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Ambrose Alli University, Edo State, Nigeria, ³Department of Community Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Edo State, Nigeria, ⁴Ministry of Health, Edo State, Nigeria, 5Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Osahogie Isaac Edeawe, Institute of Viral and Emergent Pathogens Control and Research, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria, Email: Osahogieedeawe@gmail.com
Received: 24 Mar 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 13 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa fever, Emergency Operations Centre, outbreak coordination, case management, Nigeria, epidemic response
©Osahogie Isaac Edeawe 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: Osahogie Isaac Edeawe et al., Impact of emergency operation centre meetings on Lassa fever case management in Edo State, Nigeria, 2025. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(Conf Proc 5):00299. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00299
Lassa fever remains a recurring problem in Edo State, Nigeria, often placing significant pressure on the healthcare system during outbreaks. In response to these challenges, Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) meetings were introduced to enhance outbreak response. This study explores how these regular EOC meetings have impacted case management outcomes during the 2025 outbreak.
We conducted a retrospective observational study using records from EOC meetings and hospital-based data. Data before and after the initiation of routine EOC meetings were analyzed. Quantitative benchmarks included treatment time, case fatality rate (CFR), and average duration of hospital stay. Additionally, in-depth interviews with frontline case workers were conducted to understand the effects of the meetings on collaboration, communication, and clinical decision-making.
Following the commencement of EOC meetings, the mean time from diagnosis to treatment initiation dropped from 8.5 hours to 4 hours. The CFR declined from 22% to 14% while the average hospital stay decreased from 15 to 10 days. Qualitative data revealed improved communication across health institutions, streamlined resource distribution, and quicker decision-making during outbreaks.
The structured and regular use of EOC meetings during the outbreak in 2025 led to more efficient coordination and better outcomes in case management. These findings highlight the critical role of coordination platforms in strengthening epidemic responses. We recommend that EOC frameworks should be integrated permanently into outbreak preparedness and case management systems across Lassa endemic zones in Nigeria.
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