Multiple crises: Anthrax outbreak amidst Lassa fever and diphtheria endemicity in Nigeria

Abstract

On 20th January 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed the cases of diphtheria in Lagos State and Kano State. As of 24th September 2023, there have been 7202 diphtheria confirmed cases with a 6.3% case fatality rate. The first anthrax case was reported in July this year, and rapid responses are already in place to tackle its possible outbreak. The re-emergence of these diseases with the existing prevalence of Lassa fever in the country burdens the health system and could make the control of these multiple diseases difficult. This study establishes the multiple epidemics in Nigeria, current efforts, challenges, and potential crises in the country’s health system. It states lessons learned from previous disease outbreaks and recommendations for tackling multiple epidemics. Some of the challenges with these multiple epidemics include a limited supply of Diphtheria Antitoxin, a lack of viable vaccine for Lassa fever prevention, and the cost of hospitalisation with the current economic crisis. Recommendations on the way forward to tackle multiple endemics in Nigeria include the allocation of sufficient funds to the health sector by the Government, increasing the level of community awareness programs, encouraging safety measures, improving the uptake of vaccines in the community, and others highlighted in this paper.