On Monday, October 22, Dr. Joseph Okoeguale, a medical doctor and director at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo State, shared some important information about Lassa fever.
He said that between last December and March of this year, Edo recorded 240 cases of Lassa fever, with 21 people sadly passing away due to the disease.
Dr. Okoeguale spoke during the first College of Medical Science’s Lecture Series at Edo State University, Uzairue. His talk was titled “University Community Collaboration in Lassa Fever Research: Advancing Diagnostic Capacity and Vaccine Development in Nigeria.”
He explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled Lassa fever as a priority disease for research. “In 2024, between December and the end of March, we recorded 240 positive cases with more than 21 people dying, which is quite large,” he said. He also noted that in 2023, many cases were reported in the Etsako communities of Edo State.
Dr. Okoeguale emphasized the importance of prevention and vaccines to combat Lassa fever, which can affect people of all ages. “For many decades, Lassa fever has continued to cause deaths without proper diagnosis and treatment,” he mentioned.
He highlighted that Lassa fever outbreaks happen every year and are increasingly affecting children, pregnant women, and adults in Nigeria. “The only way to bring a stop to this disease is through prevention. For epidemic prevention, the only tool is to vaccinate,” he said.
The director also shared exciting news about advancements in research. “We have built an ultramodern clinical trial and sequencing center. We are working to develop new drugs and a vaccine for Lassa fever. We recently received approval to conduct a trial of new drugs for Lassa fever,” he explained.
In his opening remarks, Acting Vice Chancellor Dawood Egbefo emphasized that Lassa fever is a serious public health issue that affects many lives and challenges our healthcare systems. “This lecture is a chance for us to share knowledge and work together to find solutions to Lassa fever and other health threats,” he said.
Acting Provost Kenneth Atoe added that the lecture was important to inspire research and innovation in diagnosing and treating Lassa fever. “Unfortunately, our community is in a Lassa fever-prone area. This highlights the urgent need for collaboration to fight this and other infectious diseases,” he stated.
