– Seeks Improved Diagnostics, Surveillance Systems
The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) has frowned at the high prevalence of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) in the country, fuelled by misdiagnosis for malaria or typhoid diseases by some health practitioners and widespread self-medication practices among the larger population. It warned that this is not healthy for the nation, as it could degenerate to more deadly conditions if necessary steps are not taken to address the situation in good time.
To address this ugly trend, the research institute highlighted the need for enhanced diagnostic capabilities in detecting VHFs in patients with fever, as well as improved surveillance of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially at points of entry.
The Deputy Director General at NIMR, Prof. Rosemary Audu, made this disclosure on Tuesday while briefing pressmen on the findings of her various studies on VHFs across the country, from 2018 to 2024. She asserted that VHFs like Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo, Yellow fever, Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, Dengue virus, and Mpox are endemic in Nigeria, but are mostly misdiagnosed for malaria or typhoid.
Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) according to Mayo Clinic, are infectious diseases that can be life-threatening. They can damage the walls of tiny blood vessels, making them leak. And they can keep the blood from clotting. Native to tropical climates in Central and West Africa, VHFs respond to treatments and vaccines when detected.
A patient infected with any of the VHFs, the health website indicated, will present with any of the following symptoms, fever, tiredness, weakness or feeling unwell, muscle, bone or joint aches, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea. More life-threatening symptoms are bleeding under the skin, inside the body or from the mouth, eyes or ears, nervous system issues, coma, confused thinking and not being aware of surroundings, called delirium, kidney failure, trouble breathing, called respiratory failure, and liver failure.
Audu, who doubles as a professor of Medical Virology at Lead City University, Ibadan, said “emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are becoming more common and can cause widespread illness and death. Research is crucial to understand how these diseases spread, change, and affect human health.” She continued, “It helps develop better tools for diagnosis, vaccines, and treatments, allowing faster responses to outbreaks. Since viruses evolve and can spread quickly across borders, research helps us keep up with these changes and work together globally to prevent pandemics. Understanding these diseases also helps guide public health decisions and ensures timely action to avoid larger crises.”
She also emphasised the need to increase efforts in mitigating the prevalence of rodents and mosquitoes across the country, as they serve as reservoirs for these infections most times. Additionally, she mentioned the need for public awareness campaigns and clinical suspicion of cases, in order to curtail the spread of these infections in Nigeria.
Prof. Audu reeled out some of her team’s findings, on the different diseases saying, “In the 2018 Lassa Fever outbreak, we confirmed the endemicity of infection in Ondo State. Still, the majority (≈80%) of suspected cases were confirmed negative which raised concerns as to what the diagnosis of such patients could be. Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (2018-2020) in febrile patients & herdsmen in Kwara State; Yellow Fever Virus in febrile patients and pools of mosquitoes (2021) in Delta State; Zika Virus (2021-2022) in febrile patients in Delta State; Chikungunya Virus (2021 -2022) in febrile patients in Delta State; Dengue virus in febrile patients in Oyo (2022-2024), Delta States (2021-2024), and mosquitoes, with abundance of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes detected in Delta and Oyo States.”
The virologist however lamented limited funding as one of the major challenges encountered by her team, in addition to irregular sampling and surveillance, and purchasing expensive serology kits, as she expressed her willingness to collaborate with government and private institutions in expanding their works in various states of the federation.
The NIMR DG, Prof. John Obafunwa while fielding questions from journalists on the reoccurrence of wrong diagnosis of VHFs for malaria and typhoid fever, expressed his disappointment at the issue which has been going on for some years in Nigeria, stating it shouldn’t be by any standard. “Unfortunately, that thing is well-rooted within our society. I don’t know exactly who to blame. Between the populace and the chemists, I find that they keep treating so-called malaria every now and then.”
He explained that an elevated temperature can be caused be anything, which shouldn’t be restricted to malaria and typhoid, emphasising the need for training and retraining of young healthcare workers and others, who may be culprit of this case. “Even simple dehydration can give you elevated temperature”, he affirmed. “It all goes back again to training and retraining young care workers. As to know how to approach this and educating the public that when you have serious symptoms, go to the nearest health facility.”
The NIMR boss further condemned the act of treating and retreating malaria, which is a sign of inefficiency on the part of the healthcare practitioner, as an experienced care provider should know when to change the direction of treatment, if the patient is not producing positive outcome. “I’ve heard people say that they went to the private doctor who is treating malaria again and putting them on IV drip. Again, I’ve said enough.”
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