Renowned Nigerian virologist Prof. Oyewale Tomori has called on federal and state authorities to treat Lassa fever as a national emergency.
Tomori made the call in an interview with reporters on Monday in Lagos.
He urged governments to prioritize long-term solutions, including routine training for health workers, sustainable infection control systems, and timely funding for outbreak response.
He noted that Nigeria has the technical expertise, but political ownership and sustained implementation are what will ultimately save lives.
According to him, no fewer than 10 health workers have died from Lassa fever in Benue, highlighting persistent gaps in the response to the viral haemorrhagic disease.
“Nigeria will do nothing serious, positive, and sustainable to control Lassa fever until the disease directly touches the political leadership.
“Let there be a case in Aso Rock, in the legislative assemblies, in the respected judicial chambers, or in one of the 36 state governors’ residences, and Lassa fever will become a national emergency tackled with no resource spared for its control,” he said.
The virologist added that government officials focus on public advisories such as hand hygiene and avoiding physical contact, rather than implementing effective structural measures.
These measures, he said, include protecting frontline health workers operating under deplorable healthcare systems while caring for Lassa fever patients.
“Distributing sanitizers at hospital gates and advising people not to hug or shake hands does nothing when your hospital system has become a source of infection.
“Recent deaths underscore the urgent need for a national approach to Lassa fever that goes beyond seasonal responses and public messaging.
“Outbreaks should be monitored as daily operational matters, not simply announced through newspapers and television.
“Health workers need protection through functioning isolation wards, adequate personal protective equipment, and strict adherence to infection control protocols,” he said.
Tomori further raised concerns about media representations of Lassa fever research and laboratory procedures, warning that inaccurate depictions could mislead the public and compromise scientific credibility.
“The pictures often used in newspapers show laboratory animals being handled improperly during experiments. This is unsafe, unethical, and gives a wrong impression of scientific practice,” he said.
Benue recently confirmed 45 cases of Lassa fever, with fatalities including five doctors, three nurses, and two support staff, according to state reports.
The state government has deployed 23 surveillance officers to curb the outbreak.
As Lassa fever continues to claim lives in endemic regions, Tomori warned that Nigeria’s recurrent outbreaks signal the need for robust national policies to protect those who risk their lives daily to care for patients.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported an increase in confirmed Lassa fever cases in Epidemiological Week 6 of 2026, with 74 new infections recorded between February 2 and 8.
The figure represents a rise from 44 confirmed cases in Week 5.
The 74 confirmed cases in Week 6 were reported in Taraba, Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Ebonyi states.
A total of 271 suspected cases were recorded during the week, with 15 deaths.
The case fatality rate for confirmed cases in Week 6 stands at 20.3 per cent.
