Recent weeks have shown a noticeable uptick in suspected cases, particularly among individuals presenting with prolonged fever, according to frontline health personnel at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH). The trend is sharpening concerns within the state’s clinical environment, especially as infections among health workers continue to rise.
“In recent weeks, we have seen a moderate increase in suspected cases, especially among patients with prolonged fever,” said Nurse Priscila Agber of BSUTH. “With infections among health workers increasing, everyone is more alert.”
Endemic Threat Persists Amid Seasonal Surge
Lassa fever remains endemic in Nigeria, with transmission typically intensifying during the dry season. Data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) indicate that as of 22 March 2026, the country recorded 637 confirmed cases and 160 deaths.
Within this national context, Benue State continues to carry a significant burden. The state has reported 291 suspected cases, 50 confirmed cases, and 12 deaths within the same period. Of particular concern is the infection rate among health workers: 14 reported cases in Benue alone, accounting for about 36% of all health worker infections nationwide.
This disproportionate impact underscores persistent vulnerabilities within facility-level infection prevention systems and highlights the elevated risks faced by frontline medical personnel.
From 2025 Preparedness Efforts to 2026 Response Gaps
During the 2025 outbreak season, the Benue State Government—working alongside the World Health Organization (WHO)—prioritised community awareness, early detection, referral systems, and IPC strengthening across health facilities.
However, entering the 2026 season, several structural gaps became more apparent. These include inconsistent IPC compliance, delayed health-seeking behaviour among patients, and shortages of protective equipment for health workers. The convergence of these challenges has necessitated a more targeted response.
With support from the NCDC, WHO, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and other partners, the state has scaled up IPC interventions in priority facilities. These include improved triage systems, strengthened hand hygiene infrastructure, better waste management practices, and expanded staff training aligned with national IPC guidelines. More than 125 health workers have been trained in case detection and infection control protocols, while laboratories continue to process high volumes of samples to support early diagnosis.
To further reduce occupational exposure, WHO has supplied IPC materials—including gloves, gowns, masks, N95 respirators, and other protective items—to treatment centres across the state.
“WHO’s technical guidance and supplies have improved how we work,” Nurse Agber noted. “We are more confident managing suspected cases safely.”
Why Health Worker Infections Persist
Despite these interventions, infections among health workers continue to occur. Public health officials attribute this to a combination of factors, including inconsistent training coverage, intermittent availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), and broader systemic weaknesses in IPC enforcement.
Dr Paul Asema, Benue State Epidemiologist, explained that late presentation remains a critical driver of exposure risk.
“Many patients, including health workers themselves, arrive late after visiting multiple facilities without proper screening,” he said. “This increases exposure risk, especially where IPC is not consistently applied.”
Across many facilities, gaps remain in screening, triage, isolation procedures, and adherence to standard precautions. The result is an uneven implementation of IPC practices, which continues to compromise safety at points of care.
Community Awareness Shows Measurable Progress
Outside health facilities, community-level engagement is gradually improving early detection and response. Efforts aligned with Nigeria’s National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) have focused on encouraging timely reporting and reducing household-level risks.
In several hotspot local government areas, awareness campaigns supported by WHO have reinforced the importance of early care-seeking and preventive hygiene practices.
“In our community, people now understand the risk,” said Mr Alfred Jande, a farmer in Makurdi LGA. “When fever persists, we seek care quickly.”
Residents also report improvements in food storage practices, reduced rodent exposure, and better sanitation—key behavioural changes in preventing Lassa fever transmission. Health authorities say these shifts are contributing to earlier reporting and reduced delays in accessing care.
Coordinated Response and Ongoing Support
The response in Benue is being coordinated by the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and supported by partners including the World Health Organization and Médecins Sans Frontières.
According to the WHO State Coordinator, Dr Abdulkarim, the persistence of infections among health workers signals the need for deeper systemic improvements.
“The rise in infections among health workers shows that gaps remain in consistent IPC implementation across facilities,” he said. “Our priority is to support the government to close these gaps by strengthening supervision, ensuring availability and proper use of protective equipment, and reinforcing early detection systems to reduce exposure risks.”
At the national level, coordination continues under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with ongoing support for surveillance, laboratory capacity, and emergency response systems.
A recent joint assessment mission involving NCDC, WHO, UNICEF, and MSF reviewed treatment and laboratory capacity in Makurdi, reaffirming government leadership in outbreak management while identifying areas requiring sustained investment.
Closing the Remaining Gaps
While progress since 2025 is evident—particularly in training, awareness, and system strengthening—key challenges persist. Health worker infections continue, IPC compliance remains inconsistent across facilities, and late presentation of cases still hampers effective containment.
Experts emphasize that sustained improvement will depend on stricter adherence to IPC protocols, consistent availability of protective equipment, stronger supervision, and continued community engagement.
Compared with previous outbreak cycles, Benue’s response is now more coordinated and better resourced. Yet the continued vulnerability of health workers underscores a central lesson: without uniform IPC implementation and timely care-seeking behaviour, endemic diseases like Lassa fever will continue to test the resilience of Nigeria’s health system.