Public Health experts on Wednesday in Abuja, advocated for strengthened infection prevention and control (IPC) measures amid rising concerns over infectious disease outbreaks in Nigeria.
They said that these measures were urgently needed within hospitals and communities to combat the spread of Lassa fever and other infections.
The experts made the call during the third Lassa Fever Clinical Management Training, organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease and Prevention Control (NCDC).
The training had as its theme: “IPC Considerations for Lassa Fever: What Healthcare Workers Should Know.”
A Consultant Clinical Microbiologist and Head, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) Gombe State, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed warned that any form of organism, whether found within or outside hospital settings, poses threat if IPC protocols were not strictly adhered to.
Mohammed said regular training for healthcare workers on IPC measures was vital, as it significantly shapes attitudes and behaviours toward infection control.
“Training changes our behaviour toward adherence to these principles. It is not a one-time activity, it must be continuous to have a lasting impact,” he noted.
He further highlighted the critical role of ensuring the availability and appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
He noted that adequate PPEs within health facilities could drastically reduce the chances of infection spread among healthcare workers and patients.
He also said that one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent transmission of infections was through proper hand hygiene.
”The most common way of transmitting infections in hospitals is via contact, especially through the hands; therefore, hand hygiene facilities must be available and used effectively,” he adviced.
Regarding Lassa’s fever, he called for enhanced contact tracing and surveillance within healthcare facilities and at the community level.
The Consultant explained that Lassa fever, being a zoonotic disease, had multiple modes of transmission and required a multi-sectoral response.
”We must adopt a one health approach, bringing together health, agriculture, and environmental sectors to curb the spread of Lassa fever,” he said.
He stressed the importance of intersectoral collaboration.
Similarly, a Consultant Infectious Disease Specialist and Head, Infectious Disease Treatment Centre, ATBUTH, Bauchi State, Dr Hafizah Suleiman adding a powerful real-life example, presented a heartbreaking case of a 35-year-old laboratory scientist who died after contracting Lassa fever.
Suleiman attributed the development to a breakdown in IPC practices at multiple levels.
According to her, the deceased had cared for her sick mother, who was also a probable Lassa fever case and received unsupervised medical care from fellow healthcare professionals at home without adherence to IPC protocols.
”Her colleagues handled contaminated materials without gloves, performed procedures with no hand hygiene, and disposed of samples improperly,” she revealed.
She stressed that IPC measures must be applied at every healthcare encounter all the time and with all patients, regardless of whether an infection is suspected.
”The chain of transmission can only be broken when we treat every interaction as a potential source of infection,” she said.
The infectious disease specialist also highlighted several lapses that led to the fatal outcome to include unsafe handling of body fluids, poor hand hygiene, and failure to use personal protective equipment, and treatment of patients at home without isolation.
She said that these were preventable errors rooted in poor knowledge and disregard for standard IPC practices.
She called for stronger public health education, improved environmental hygiene, decontamination of reusable equipment, and consistent use of PPEs and hand washing practices.
Preventing the spread of infection is not only a medical issue but a public safety priority.
Other participants at the event echoed the the need for government, health institutions, and communities to adopt a culture of safety in all health interactions.
The participants agreed that stronger IPC systems and coordinated surveillance will drastically reduce the disease burden and save lives.
NAN
