Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract ELIC2025404 Oral 045) | Published: 12 Aug 2025
Uwaifiokun Julius Okhuarobo1,&, Stephenson Babatunde Ojeifo2, Mercy Onize Okuo2, Armstrong Hamisu Waziri-Atebor2, Denyinye Minna Hitlar2, Osahogie Isaac Edeawe3, James Adebayo Igenoza4, Esosa Osagie5, Chijioke Mba5, Grace Folusho Ireotoi6, Nora Emmanuel Eyo6, Ekaete Tobin3
1Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP). Abuja. Nigeria, 2Ministry of Health, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeriac, 3Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria, 4Veterinary Epidemiology and Vector Control Unit, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Benin City, Edo State, 5Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Nigeria, 6World Health Organization, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Uwaifiokun Julius Okhuarobo, Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP). Abuja. Nigeria. Email: uwathegreat@yahoo.com
Received: 15 May 2025, Accepted: 09 Jul 2025, Published: 12 Aug 2025
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Lassa Fever, Public Health, Nigeria, Local Government, Disease Outbreaks
©Uwaifiokun Julius Okhuarobo 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: Uwaifiokun Julius Okhuarobo et al., Lessons learnt from the 2023 Lassa fever outbreak in an Endemic Nigerian State: A World Health Organisation-guided after-action review process. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc5):00045. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO5-00045
Recurrent Lassa fever outbreaks persist in Nigeria, particularly in endemic states. In the aftermath of the response to the 2023 Lassa fever outbreak in Edo State, a multi-agency After-Action Review (AAR) was conducted to assess response activities, identify gaps, best practices, and strengthen future outbreak preparedness. The study’s objective was to document lessons learnt from the 2023 Lassa fever outbreak response in Edo State, Nigeria
A descriptive qualitative design was employed for this study. It involved a one-day AAR workshop held in June 2023 in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Eighty participants were purposively selected. They included Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) from Local Government Areas (LGAs), public health professionals from the state and national levels, and partner organisations. Seven response pillars participated in group discussions and plenary sessions while RRTs from high-burden LGAs presented their response activities. All sessions were guided by the World Health Organisation AAR debrief approach. Real time data was collected, followed by thematic analysis and stakeholder validation. Since the AAR was a standard practice in public health, ethical approval was not needed.
The AAR showed strengths in prompt activation and coordination of the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre, and partner engagement. A significant best practice was the strategic empowerment and deployment of the LGA RRTs in high-burden areas, which enhanced rapid case detection, decentralised contact tracing, and improved response time to evacuate cases for isolation and treatment. Gaps comprised inadequate IPC supplies at peripheral facilities and issues with risk communication in rural areas.
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