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  • Lassa fever death toll hit 215 in 2025, fatality rate exceeds 2024 level – NCDC

    Lassa fever death toll hit 215 in 2025, fatality rate exceeds 2024 level – NCDC

    Nigeria recorded 215 deaths from Lassa fever in 2025, with the disease’s case fatality rate rising to 18.7 percent, higher than the 16.3 percent recorded during the same period in 2024, according to the latest Situation Report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

    The report shows that confirmed cases increased from 21 in Epidemiological Week 51 to 27 in Week 52, covering the period from December 22 to 28, 2025. 

    The new infections were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Nasarawa and Taraba States.

    Cumulatively, Nigeria recorded 1,148 confirmed Lassa fever cases by the end of Week 52 in 2025, with infections reported across 22 states and 107 Local Government Areas, reflecting the continued nationwide spread of the viral haemorrhagic disease.

    Despite the increase in cases during the final week of the year, the NCDC noted that the overall number of suspected and confirmed cases in 2025 was lower than what was recorded during the same period in 2024, indicating gradual improvements in surveillance, early detection and response.

    The report revealed that 89 percent of all confirmed cases in 2025 were concentrated in four States — Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Taraba. 

    Ondo State accounted for 35 percent of confirmed cases, Bauchi 26 percent, Edo 16 percent and Taraba 12 percent, while the remaining 11 percent were reported across 17 other states.

    Young adults aged 21 to 30 years were the most affected group, with reported cases ranging from infants aged one year to elderly persons aged 96 years. 

    The median age of confirmed cases was 30 years, and the male-to-female ratio stood at 1 to 0.8.

    The NCDC also confirmed that no healthcare worker was infected during Epidemiological Week 52, underscoring improved infection prevention and control practices in health facilities.

    The agency said the National Lassa Fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate response activities nationwide, covering surveillance, case management, risk communication and logistics support.

    Read Also: NCDC Report: Lassa fever killed 176 in 10 months

    It stated that Lassa fever response efforts were intensified across the country ahead of the new outbreak season, including the conduct of a dynamic risk assessment and a webinar on the application of the Lassa fever advocacy toolkit.

    According to the agency, behavioural assessments were conducted in 10 high-burden states, alongside community-based One Health planning, After Action Reviews for the 2024/2025 outbreak season, and strategic capacity development sessions.

    It added that health facility preparedness was strengthened through infection prevention and control training, hand hygiene audits, clinician sensitisation in hotspot local government areas, and the launch of the NCDC’s IPC e-learning platform.

    The agency noted that national and subnational partners supported vaccine development planning, clinical trials in Ondo State, as well as multiple fellowship and clinical management training programmes.

    It further disclosed that Rapid Response Teams were deployed to affected states, while essential commodities including personal protective equipment, Ribavirin and information, education and communication materials were distributed.

    The agency said these efforts were complemented by enhanced risk communication through jingles, targeted messaging, and the integration of Lassa fever messages into broader viral haemorrhagic fever strategies, alongside sustained regional and international collaboration across ECOWAS countries.

  • National Assembly directs NCDC to resolve lead poisoning in Lagos

    National Assembly directs NCDC to resolve lead poisoning in Lagos

    • No room for health hazard, says Abiru

    The Senate has directed the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to deploy emergency medical teams for free toxicology screening, and continuous treatment of children and adults in Ogijo, which is being rattled by lead poisoning.

    The directive followed the motion by Senate Tokunbo Abiru, who directed the attention of the Senate to the lead-poisoning crisis in Ogijo, a boundary town between Ogun and Lagos states, during plenary.

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    Describing lead poisoning as a national public health emergency, the senator from Lagos East District said “no community in our country should be exposed to hazardous industrial practices, and the situation in Ogijo demands urgent national attention.”

    The Senate commended the Federal, Lagos and Ogun state governments for their active engagement and swift responses and collaborative actions.

    It mandated the NCDC to deploy emergency medical teams for free toxicology screening, and continuous treatment of children and adults in the affected town.

    NCDC was also mandated to do a detailed environmental remediation and contamination mapping exercise.

    The Senate also directed NEMA to provide emergency relief and food support, clean water intervention to Ogijo residents.

  • Senate directs NCDC to resolve lead poisoning in Lagos

    Senate directs NCDC to resolve lead poisoning in Lagos

    • No room for health hazard, says Abiru

    The Senate has directed the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to deploy emergency medical teams for free toxicology screening and continuous treatment of children and adults in Ogijo, following an outbreak of lead poisoning.

    The directive followed the motion by Senate Tokunbo Abiru, who directed the attention of the Senate to the lead-poisoning crisis in Ogijo, a boundary town between Ogun and Lagos states, during plenary.

    Describing lead poisoning as a national public health emergency, the senator from Lagos East District said, “No community in our country should be exposed to hazardous industrial practices, and the situation in Ogijo demands urgent national attention.”

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    The Senate commended the Federal, Lagos and Ogun State governments for their active engagement and swift responses and collaborative actions.

    It mandated the NCDC to deploy emergency medical teams for free toxicology screening, and continuous treatment of children and adults in the affected town.

    The NCDC was also mandated to do a detailed environmental remediation and contamination mapping exercise.

    The Senate also directed NEMA to provide emergency relief and food support, clean water intervention to Ogijo residents.

  • NCDC Report: Lassa fever killed 176 in 10 months

    NCDC Report: Lassa fever killed 176 in 10 months

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said the death toll from Lassa fever in the past 10 months has climbed to 176, representing a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.4 per cent.

    This is higher than the 16.6 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Lassa fever as an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is spread to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.

    The disease is endemic in West Africa and is known to occur in Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

    According to the NCDC’s latest epidemiological report for Week 43, a total of 955 confirmed cases have been recorded across 21 States and 102 Local Government Areas (LGAs) so far this year.

    The report revealed that 88 per cent of all confirmed infections were recorded in just four states of Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, and Taraba while the remaining 12% came from 17 other States.

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    Ondo State alone accounted for 37% of the total cases, followed by Bauchi (21 %), Edo (17%), and Taraba (13%), the agency said.

    It noted that the number of suspected and confirmed cases declined compared to the same period last year, though the fatality rate has worsened.

    “In Week 43, the number of new confirmed cases rose slightly from nine in Week 42 to eleven, all reported in Ondo State,” the report stated.

    The agency added that the predominant age group affected remains between 21 and 30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1 to 0.8.

    While no new infections were reported among healthcare workers during the week, the NCDC said the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate national response efforts.

    The report also identified key challenges in managing the outbreak, including late presentation of patients leading to higher fatality rates, poor health-seeking behaviour due to the cost of treatment, inadequate environmental sanitation in high-burden areas, and limited community awareness.

    The NCDC urged state governments to sustain year-round public sensitisation on Lassa fever prevention and advised healthcare professionals to maintain a high index of suspicion and ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment.

    It also reaffirmed its commitment, along with partners, to strengthening state capacity for timely detection and response.

  • NCDC, partners drive local-language campaign to curb rising antibiotic resistance

    NCDC, partners drive local-language campaign to curb rising antibiotic resistance

    The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has called for stronger youth involvement and the use of local languages in public health messaging to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of Nigeria’s most serious health threats.

    Speaking at the launch of the SayAMR Language Hackathon in Abuja on Friday, he said effective communication is vital in public health, especially as Nigeria enters the Lassa fever season.

    He emphasised the need for timely and culturally relevant communication to protect communities.

    The SayAMR Language Hackathon, organised by NCDC in collaboration with DRASA Health Trust, the Centre for Infection Control and Patient Safety, the University of Lagos, and the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, seeks to develop local AMR terms in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and Pidgin English to enhance grassroots understanding.

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    He said youth must be central to Nigeria’s health response, describing AMR as a complex but silent killer that threatens health security, food safety, and the economy.

    The government, he explained, is implementing the National Action Plan on AMR (2024–2028) anchored on prevention, stewardship, and communication under the One Health approach linking human, animal, and environmental health.

    “This hackathon highlights the power of language in public health, because what we cannot say, we cannot fight,” he said, adding that Nigeria’s 500-plus languages are assets for reaching communities.

    Drawing from past HIV/AIDS campaigns, he said, when people could describe diseases in familiar words, stigma was reduced and action followed.

    Through the SayAMR initiative, he urged young linguists, artists, and health professionals to create relatable AMR expressions that inspire action.

    “When a market woman in Aba or a daughter in Katsina can describe AMR in her language, we will begin to win the fight,” he said.

    Professor Haruna Andrew, Secretary-General of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, described language as a bridge between culture and education, saying the programme models collaboration between academia and public health.

    Dr. Tochi Okwor, Head of Disease Prevention at NCDC and Chair of Nigeria’s AMR Coordinating Committee, said the initiative reinforces the need to communicate AMR in indigenous languages to strengthen public understanding.

    She explained that many Nigerians struggle to grasp AMR because there are no local words for it, making translation essential for effective engagement.

    “By translating AMR concepts into major Nigerian languages, we can empower farmers, traders, and communities to understand how resistance spreads and why rational antibiotic use matters,” she said.

    World Health Organization Technical Officer for AMR and One Health, Dr. Chavan Laxmikant, commended the initiative as innovative and timely.

    Comparing India and Nigeria, he said multilingual contexts make English-only campaigns ineffective.

    “Misuse of antibiotics begins in communities where people demand them unnecessarily. This hackathon will help communities understand what AMR is and their role in stopping it,” he said, noting that more than 60,000 Nigerians die annually from AMR.

    Dr. Ayodele Majekodunmi, Project Lead for the World Bank-funded Health Security Programme for West and Central Africa under WOAH, said AMR is a cross-border challenge requiring regional collaboration.

    He praised the hackathon for engaging youth and empowering communities with accurate and culturally relevant knowledge.

    Chidinma Ibe, Head of the Infection Prevention and Control Programme at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), said community engagement and culturally tailored messaging are vital to containing AMR.

    Translating scientific information into local languages, she said, improves understanding and encourages infection prevention practices at the grassroots.

    Niniola Williams, Managing Director of DRASA Health Trust, said the hackathon merges science, creativity, and community to address one of Nigeria’s most urgent health challenges.

    She noted that infections continue to disrupt lives and weaken the health system, emphasizing that most are preventable.

    She said DRASA, founded in memory of Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, continues her legacy of courage and prevention, “The SayAMR Hackathon expands that vision by showing that prevention is not just about medicine or policy but also about how we communicate.

    “How we speak about AMR determines how people understand and act on it,” she said.

    Williams commended NCDC, the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, and other partners for supporting efforts to make AMR prevention a national movement that reaches every home, market, and classroom.

  • Senate panel okays N140bn 2025 budget for NCDC

    Senate panel okays N140bn 2025 budget for NCDC

    The Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has okayed the sum of N140billion 2025 budgetary provision for the commission.

    The lawmakers charged it to utilise the allocation judiciously when approved by the Senate.

    The Committee, chaired by Senator Titus Zam, gave the approval when the Managing Director of the NCDC, Tsenyil Yiltsen, appeared before it to defend the proposal.

    Zam said: “After a careful look at the issues contained in the budget and the eloquent presentation by the Managing Director and his team, the committee has approved the budget of N140 billion as presented by the Commission.”

    Committee however urged the commission to ensure judicious utilisation of the N140billion when finally approved by the Senate, particularly the N100billion, earmarked for capital expenditure.

    It also urged governments of the benefiting six states in the zone and the FCT to provide office accommodations for branches of the commission in their respective states.

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    Yiltsen, had in his presentation, said the N140billion was the envelope given to the Commission for the 2025 fiscal year by the federal government.

    He said out of the amount, N100billion for capital expenditure across the six states in the North Central zone and the Federal Capital Territory while the remaining N40billion is for recurrent expenditure covering overhead and personnel cost.

    He explained that the N100billion is tied to numerous projects across the six states.

    He said: “We have eight thematic areas in terms of infrastructure deployment which are security, agriculture, mining, environmental degradation, education, health, road construction, etc.”

    He assured the committee that the commission under his leadership would ensure even execution of projects across the all the states in the zone and the FCT.

    “We will go out for proper needs assessment in all the states and will be fair in the distribution of these projects in all the six states and FCT,”he said.

    He added that the bulk of the N40billion earmarked for recurrent expenditure, will be used to pay salaries of proposed 200 staff to be recruited after approval by the office of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

  • NCDC assures states in North Central region of fair sharing of projects

    NCDC assures states in North Central region of fair sharing of projects

    Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, has assured the people of the North Central region that the commission will be fair and carry every state along in the distribution of its projects.

    The MD/CEO of the commission stated this yesterday at the commission headquarters, Muhammadu Buhari way, Lafia, Nasarawa State, during their maiden press conference to mark their full assumption of office.

    He emphasised that in delivering its mandate, “The NCDC will not be a competitor or duplicate projects being implemented by the federal, state, and local government. Our focus is to carry out projects that fill the existing development gaps in the region in such a way that creates integrated development for the prosperity of the people.

    “We are mindful of the areas that need immediate attention in the lives of the people of the North Central region. These cut across physical infrastructure such as roads and bridges, resettlement and rehabilitation, economic recovery, health, housing, water and energy, peace and security, education, environmental restoration, transportation, and agriculture, among others,” he said

    Tsenyil told newsmen that shortly after taking over this office complex on Tuesday, “We commenced an inaugural board meeting presided over by the chairman, Barr Cosmos Akighir, as part of setting in motion the plans, strategies, responsibilities, and guidelines for our operations.

    “The meeting, which concluded today, arrived at some decisions which include approval for the setting up of 13 committees to handle various aspects of the operations of the commission. Most of these committees are to handle issues relating to the smooth take-off of the commission.”

    He said that the board also discussed and adopted its 2025 budget estimate, which will enable us to access funds for operations.

  • Sule: Northcentral governors to provide funds for NCDC take off

    Sule: Northcentral governors to provide funds for NCDC take off

    Governors of Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, and Niger states will make grants or loans available for the takeoff of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Governor Abdullahi Sule has said.

    Sule gave the assurance while handing over a fully furnished office building to the commission’s board members and directors in Lafia yesterday.

     Adding that his administration has made available temporary residence for the management members of the NCDC, he said that the commission needs to take up grants and operational vehicles that the  Northcentral governors have agreed to provide.   

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    The governor expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the development agency.

     Earlier, the commission’s  Chairman,  Cosmus Akighir,  said they would work with the governors and critical stakeholders to drive development and stem poverty in the region.

  • Lassa fever kills 152 in Nigeria, says NCDC

    Lassa fever kills 152 in Nigeria, says NCDC

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a total of 152 deaths from Lassa fever in the first 28 weeks of this year.

    This marks a higher case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.7 per cent, compared to 17.3 per cent within the same period in 2024.

    The latest situation report released yesterday in Abuja by the NCDC via its official website said the nation had recorded 811 confirmed cases and over 6,520 suspected infections so far.

    The public health agency explained that these span 21 states and 105 local government areas, with the highest burden concentrated in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi states

    “We are witnessing a slight decline in the total number of confirmed cases, compared to 2024, but the fatality rate has increased,” it said.

    NCDC also indicated possible late presentation, poor health-seeking behaviour, and limited access to early treatment as contributing factors.

    The agency noted that in epidemiological week 28 alone, 11 new confirmed cases and one death were recorded, with reported infections from Ondo, Edo, and Benue states.

    The agency said no healthcare workers were affected during the week.

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    It added that individuals aged between 21 and 30 years remained the most affected age group, with a nearly equal male-to-female distribution of cases.

    In response to the ongoing outbreak, the agency and its partners have intensified interventions in high-burden areas.

    “Ten National Rapid Response Teams have been deployed to affected states using a One Health approach.

    “INTEGRATE Clinical Trials have commenced in Ondo state to support improved case management.

    “Healthcare workers in Bauchi, Ebonyi, and Benue states have received targeted training to strengthen clinical response,” it said.

  • Dengue fever hits Edo, NCDC issues alert

    Dengue fever hits Edo, NCDC issues alert

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed a dengue fever outbreak in Edo State, recorded between June 9 and 13, 2025. 

    The dengue fever outbreak was confirmed through lab diagnostics, highlighting the growing threat of mosquito-borne diseases, the agency affirmed.

    Dengue fever is a viral infection spread by Aedes mosquitoes, causing high fever, headache, rash, and joint pain. 

    Severe cases may lead to bleeding and shock. There’s no cure but prevention through mosquito control and vaccination is essential.

    NCDC, however, assured that it is working closely with state authorities to strengthen surveillance, enhance clinical management, and intensify mosquito control measures.

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    The confirmation comes as the NCDC issued a national health alert on Thursday, warning of a heightened risk of infectious disease outbreaks, including cholera and yellow fever, due to severe flooding across multiple states.

    The NCDC Director General (DG), Dr. Jide Idris, said the agency reacted following a flood advisory issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which identified over 20 states, including Lagos, Sokoto, Edo, Benue, and Kaduna as vulnerable to flash floods throughout July.

    NiMet specifically warned that States such as Zamfara, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Niger, and Adamawa face particularly high risks, raising public health concerns in flood-prone communities.

    According to Idris, floodwaters often contaminate drinking water sources, carrying bacteria and viruses from sewage, soil, and animal waste into rivers and wells, which he said, significantly increases the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera, already surging in several regions.

    The agency also raised concerns about stagnant water collecting in flooded areas, which serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes responsible for the transmission of yellow fever, dengue fever, and malaria.

    “Cholera cases are on the rise across the country, and yellow fever and dengue fever have also been detected in some states,” Idris noted, warning that the outbreaks come amid ongoing national responses to other diseases like Mpox and diphtheria.

    As of June 29, the alert indicated that cholera cases had been reported in 34 States, with Zamfara accounting for 32 percent of suspected infections while other high-burden States include Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, Rivers, and Adamawa.

    Regarding yellow fever, the NCDC said seven confirmed cases had been reported across Abia, Anambra, Edo, Ekiti, Lagos, and Rivers States. 

    The agency emphasized that under Nigeria’s public health laws, even a single confirmed case constitutes an outbreak.

    To tackle these outbreaks, the NCDC is partnering with state health ministries, development agencies, and community leaders to improve disease tracking, deploy rapid response teams, and raise public awareness through education and communication.

    The agency also confirmed ongoing yellow fever vaccination campaigns in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to reduce the risk of transmission in affected areas.

    Citizens were urged to be vigilant for symptoms such as high fever, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and headaches. 

    The agency also warned against self-medication, especially as symptoms can resemble malaria, and stressed the importance of seeking prompt medical attention.

    To curb mosquito-borne diseases, the public was advised to clear stagnant water, cover water containers, use insect repellents, wear long-sleeved clothing, and sleep under insecticide-treated nets. 

    While the agency reiterated that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent yellow fever, health workers were reminded to consider dengue in patients presenting with unexplained fevers and to immediately report suspected cases, as dengue remains a notifiable disease under Nigerian law.

    The NCDC further called on governments and local authorities to invest in better sanitation and drainage infrastructure to help prevent future outbreaks and safeguard public health during the rainy season.