The One Health approach to incident management of the 2019 Lassa fever outbreak response in Nigeria.

Globally, effective emergency response to disease outbreaks is usually affected by weak coordination. However, coordination using an incident management system (IMS) in line with a One Health approach involving human, environment, and animal health with collaborations between government and non-governmental agencies result in improved response outcome for zoonotic diseases such as Lassa fever (LF). We provide an overview of the 2019 LF outbreak response in Nigeria using the IMS and One Health approach.

Geographical drivers and climate-linked dynamics of Lassa fever in Nigeria.

Lassa fever is a longstanding public health concern in West Africa. Recent molecular studies have confirmed the fundamental role of the rodent host (Mastomys natalensis) in driving human infections, but control and prevention efforts remain hampered by a limited baseline understanding of the disease's true incidence, geographical distribution and underlying drivers. Here, we show that Lassa fever occurrence and incidence is influenced by climate, poverty, agriculture and urbanisation factors.

Factors associated with delayed presentation to healthcare facilities for Lassa fever cases, Nigeria 2019: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Large outbreaks of Lassa fever (LF) occur annually in Nigeria. The case fatality rate among hospitalised cases is ~ 20%. The antiviral drug ribavirin along with supportive care and rehydration are the recommended treatments but must be administered early (within 6 days of symptom onset) for optimal results.

Current Status of Mental Health Services at the Primary Healthcare Level in Northern Nigeria.

Mental health services at the primary healthcare level remain critical in most developing countries, especially in resource-poor and crisis-stricken communities. This study explored the erstwhile mental health services, with particular reference to their availability, at the 47 primary healthcare centres in three selected states in northern Nigeria, with a view to drawing for action. Qualitative data were collected from a purposive sample of 13 participants through in-depth interviews.