The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged the federal government to develop a vaccine to tackle Lassa Fever in the country.
The WHO Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, spoke at a workshop organised by the Ministry of Health in partnership with WHO titled “Reducing Mortality in Lassa Fever patients” in Abuja.
Dr Mulombo said the number of people dying from lassa fever was high and hinted that the workshop was necessary to train health workers on the best practice in managing, treating and responding to Lassa Fever cases.
The Minister of State for Health, Ekumankama Nkama, said the ministry had recorded a notable reduction in Lassa Fever infections between 2021 and 2022, from 2.5% to 19.8%.
Dr Nkama said the health ministry is set to build capacity and case-management record, in order to reduce mortality among Lassa Fever patients.
He said the federal government is working to develop a Lassa Fever vaccine.
The Chief Medical Director, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo state, Professor Sylvanus Okogbenin, stated that efforts were on to ensure that health workers do not get infected with the disease during the treatment of patients.