The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 1,138 confirmed Lassa fever cases and 268 deaths across 24 states. The reported death rate stands at 23.6 per cent.
The figures show that Lassa fever remains a serious public health threat, especially in communities with limited access to early testing and treatment.
A high death rate often means that patients are reaching hospitals late or that health services are not reaching them quickly enough. Government must strengthen disease surveillance, improve access to treatment and invest in public awareness.
Citizens should ask how Lassa fever funds are being used, whether treatment centres have enough staff and supplies, and how suspected cases are being traced and managed.
Good health governance is measured by how quickly a country detects disease, protects communities and saves lives. Nigerians deserve a health system that acts early, communicates clearly and leaves no community behind.
By Viewers Corner News