Scourge of Lassa fever pandemic in Nigeria: The roles of library and information professionals in mitigating the spread of the disease

Abstract

The paper explored the Lassa fever pandemic which is currently the most deadly disease ravaging most part of Nigeria. While it is disturbing that adequate environmental cautions were not been taken to inhibit its seasonal outbreak, it is more worried that 54 years after discovery of Lassa fever disease in Nigeria, stakeholders have failed to produce vaccines against the disease making it the worst in the history of the country. The disease has also spread rapidly in some part of West African countries. Literatures revealed that in the first quarter of 2023, Lassa fever have killed 203 persons across the 26 states in Nigeria. Also, 869 Lassa fever cases were confirmed between March and April, 2023 with predominant age 21-30 years mostly affected. Lassa fever has also 16.7% fatality rates which indicated a serious health challenges across the country. Lassa fever infections became a scourge in Edo, (115 cases), with 113 deaths, Ondo (90 cases), with 48 deaths and Bauchi, (71 cases), with 24 deaths. This necessitated the reason for the paper in creating platform for public enlightenment and education. The role of library and information professionals in raising awareness through public health education, information literacy in Nigeria became a key to mitigate the spread of the disease. The paper advocated strategies with the provision Internet services and social media as a means of providing useful sources of information that would help the general public to be aware on the danger of Lassa fever pandemic. The paper emphasized that proper information awareness through advocacy programmes to mitigate increase in Lassa fever cases by library and information professionals have become a gateway to stop the spread of the disease. The paper concluded that library services were impediment for improving health awareness of the users through education, information and public enlightenment. It is recommended that library and information professionals should serve as a catalyst in the promotion of public health through information awareness and dissemination.