The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has identified limited laboratory capacity in Nigeria as a key cause of the misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of Acute Febrile Illnesses (AFI), leading to poor patient treatment.
The concern was raised at a media roundtable in Abuja, where the US CDC, in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), pledged continued support for Nigeria’s AFI surveillance.
Oladipupo Ipadeola, Senior Public Health Specialist for Epidemiology at the US CDC Nigeria, explained that AFI is a rapid-onset fever with or without other symptoms. He stressed that robust surveillance is crucial for early outbreak detection and control but is hampered by diagnostic gaps.
“Addressing AFI surveillance gaps, such as a lack of clear policy, limited geographical spread of testing facilities, and poor diagnostic capacity, is essential,” Ipadeola stated.
He commended the Federal Government’s existing efforts, including surveillance systems, malaria control, vaccination campaigns, and partnerships. He also revealed the US CDC’s direct support, which has established sentinel surveillance sites across all six geopolitical zones, testing over 11,000 samples for diseases like malaria, dengue, and Lassa fever.
The programme director at the Division of Global Health Protection, U.S. CDC Nigeria, Farah Husain, underscored that a robust AFI system is vital for identifying the causes and spread of diseases, enabling faster outbreak response.
While coordination has been handed over to the NCDC, the US CDC will continue providing technical support, diagnostic kits, and reagents.
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