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The United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has raised concerns that constricted laboratory diagnostic capableness successful Nigeria was starring to the misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of Acute Febrile Illnesses (AFIs), resulting successful inappropriate attraction and mediocre diligent outcomes.
The informing came during a media roundtable successful Abuja connected Wednesday, wherever the US CDC, successful collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and different partners, highlighted efforts to fortify AFI surveillance crossed the country.
Acute Febrile Illness is defined arsenic an unwellness marked by the accelerated onset of fever, with oregon without further symptoms. According to Oladipupo Ipadeola, Senior Public Health Specialist for Epidemiology and Surveillance astatine the US CDC Nigeria, AFI tin beryllium caused by bacteria, viruses, protozoa, oregon fungi, and portion it is astir prevalent successful children and young adults, it tin impact each property groups.
“AFI surveillance refers to the systematic monitoring and probe of cases of acute fever that hap abruptly and typically person a abbreviated duration,” Ipadeola explained.
“In Nigeria, constricted laboratory diagnostic capableness for AFI is starring to misdiagnosis oregon underdiagnosis of diseases, and inappropriate attraction and absorption of patients. Addressing AFI surveillance gaps, specified arsenic a deficiency of wide policy, constricted geographical dispersed of investigating facilities, and mediocre diagnostic capacity, is essential.”
He added that AFI presents with overlapping symptoms, which makes diagnosis hard without capable testing. Strengthening surveillance, helium noted, is important for aboriginal recognition of outbreaks, knowing illness epidemiology, and implementing timely power measures.
Ipadeola commended the Federal Government for steps taken truthful far, including surveillance and monitoring systems, malaria power programmes, vaccination campaigns, and partnerships aimed astatine improving AFI activities. He disclosed that the US CDC, moving with NCDC, has acceptable up sentinel surveillance sites crossed Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. These sites person tested implicit 11,000 samples for precedence diseases specified arsenic malaria, dengue, yellowish fever, Lassa fever, and COVID-19.
The bureau has besides supported diagnostic improvements by upgrading laboratory equipment, introducing multiplex PCR testing, and grooming unit successful selected facilities. Since August 2024, coordination of the programme has been handed implicit to the NCDC, with the US CDC continuing to supply method support, accelerated diagnostic kits, and reagents.
In her opening remarks, Farah Husain, Programme Director astatine the Division of Global Health Protection, US CDC Nigeria, underscored the urgency of strengthening AFI surveillance.
“Today’s engagement is simply a broader effort by the U.S. CDC successful collaboration with the NCDC to found a sustainable AFI surveillance strategy successful Nigeria,” she said.
“The wide intent of this strategy is to assistance amended aboriginal detection, heighten laboratory capacity, fortify data, and yet assistance america respond amended and faster to outbreaks.”
Also speaking, the NCDC’s Director of Surveillance, Fatima Saleh, stressed the request for stronger advocacy and collaboration astatine each levels of authorities to guarantee evidence-based interventions.
“We indispensable fortify surveillance systems, amended effect capacity, and standard up outreach efforts,” she said. “This requires sustained support, wider inclusion, and the governmental volition to support the wellness of Nigerians.”
Experts astatine the lawsuit agreed that tackling gaps successful diagnostic capacity, argumentation frameworks, and investigating infrastructure is captious to improving Nigeria’s AFI effect and, by extension, the nation’s broader illness surveillance and wellness security.
English (US) ·