Some survivors of Lassa fever in Bauchi State have begun public sensitization activities to raise awareness about the disease and encourage early presentation at health facilities.
The survivors received treatment at the Lassa Treatment Centre (LTC) of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH), Bauchi.
One of the survivors, Abubakar Hassan, said he had been engaging in community health promotion to educate people on Lassa fever and the importance of seeking early medical care.
Hassan, 22, spoke during an engagement with a medical team from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) on Wednesday in Bauchi.
He said the Lassa Treatment Centre provided prompt medical care and trained patients on prevention, control and safety measures to protect public health.
According to him, public sensitization on Lassa fever is a collective responsibility, noting that early presentation at health facilities saves lives.
“I was brought to the centre unconscious. I underwent three dialysis sessions before regaining consciousness during the fourth session.
“I was well fed and properly cared for by health workers. After my discharge, I was given new clothes and transport fare to return home,” he said.
Hassan commended health workers at the centre for their professionalism and pledged to help members of his community refer suspected cases of Lassa fever and other infectious diseases to the centre for prompt treatment.
Another survivor, Ms Nafi Sani, also pledged to mobilize community members on the signs, symptoms, prevention and referral pathways of the disease.
She recalled receiving counseling on Lassa fever symptoms, prevention, referral procedures and mental health support during her stay at the centre.
Speaking on the operations of the facility, the Infection Prevention and Control Manager of MSF, Ms Shirley Samson, said the centre was being run in collaboration with ATBU-TH.
She explained that the facility was equipped with infection prevention and control units, kitchen facilities, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, health promotion units, mental health support and clinical services.
“The centre has separate wards for suspected and confirmed cases, with designated entry and exit points.
“The suspected cases ward has a 24-bed capacity, while the confirmed cases ward has a 73-bed capacity, with separate sections for male and female patients,” she said.
The Centre Coordinator, Dr Ibrahim Maigari, said the ATBU-TH molecular laboratory was equipped to confirm suspected Lassa fever cases within 12 hours of sample collection.
Maigari said intensified community outreach and awareness campaigns contributed to the increase in reported cases.
He disclosed that the centre recorded 40 cases as of the third week of January, attributing the rise to improved awareness that encouraged early presentation.
Maigari added that the hospital expanded the centre to a 77-bed capacity with support from MSF, which also provided logistical assistance, including transportation of suspected cases from communities to the centre and transport stipends for survivors after discharge.
He said MSF was also supporting ATBU-TH to conduct research on Lassa fever to strengthen evidence-based response to the disease.
