Weekly Epidemiological Report

April 2021 Week 14

Editoral

Strengthening Public Health Workforce in Nigeria: NCDC Roll-Out First I-FETP

Posted: 01-05-2021 01:08:13 PM

In 2008, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with the support of the US-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC) and African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) established the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP). Since then, the NCDC, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the African Field Epidemiology Network have worked closely to strengthen it. This has now transitioned to Nigeria Field Epidemiology Training Programme (NFETP). The NFETP has three arms- advanced, frontline and intermediate programmes. The lower and higher levels public health workforce are usually admitted into the frontline and advanced levels.

Till date, the NCDC has supported deployment of different FETP cohorts of residents and graduates to support states to respond to various disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies. The swift country-wide deployment by the NCDC of this multi-disciplinary workforce at the peak of COVID-19 outbreak was indeed a success story as this was one of the strategies that contributed to the current level of outbreak control in Nigeria. This was indeed the longest and largest deployment in history. We remain grateful to the Federal Republic of Nigeria for providing the needed resources to carry out our mandate of protecting Nigerians against the deadly virus.

Given the above, the NCDC has continued to prioritise public health workforce development through diverse strategies. We are working towards achieving the global goal of one trained field epidemiologist (or its equivalent) to 200,000 population. In line with this, the NCDC in collaboration with AFENET and US CDC on the 19th of April 2021 rolled out the Intermediate Nigeria Field Epidemiology Training Programme (I-NFETP).

This is the first time Nigeria is implementing I-NFETP and the purpose is to build a strong cohort of epidemiologists at both national and state level. It is a competency-based field epidemiology training to improve surveillance and response to priority diseases and other public health threats. The first cohort of 15 residents were recruited from the NCDC, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Federal Ministry of Environment. The training will be implemented over a nine-month period.

Given the success of the previous advanced and frontline programmes, we strongly believe the roll-out of this I-NFETP will continue to contribute to increased number of field epidemiologists for better epidemic intelligence and outbreak control in Nigeria.

The NCDC is committed to working with relevant tertiary institutions in Nigeria, to raise a strong workforce for our health security. More information on the I-NFETP can be found on the NCDC website here.


Summary of Incidents

Notes

1. Information for this disease was retrieved from the Technical Working Group and Situation Reports

2. Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for this disease is reported for confirmed cases only

3. Information for this disease was retrieved from IDSR 002 data

4. CFR for this disease is reported for total cases i.e. suspected + confirmed

5. Information for sentinel influenza was retrieved from the laboratory


Lassa Fever

Key points

• There were 43 suspected cases, eight were laboratory confirmed and one death was recorded from five LGAs in four states

Actions

To date:

• Conducted 2021 Lassa fever(LF) high burden states preparedness/response engagement meeting

• Disseminated reviewed case management and safe burial practices guidelines

• Ensured all five LF molecular laboratories in the NCDC network are working at full capacity for timely testing of samples with reduced turnaround time

Planned:

• Finalise Lassa fever five-year strategic plan


Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM)

Key points

• There were 11 suspected cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) reported from four LGAs in three states (Katsina – 8, Kwara – 2 & Osun – 1). None were laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded

Actions

To date:

• National CSM TWG meets weekly to review reports from states and plan appropriately

• Enhanced surveillance in all states

Planned:

• Continue harmonisation of the national line list and SORMAS data

• Continue to ensure that states reporting cases send their line lists and collect CSM samples


Yellow Fever

Key points

• There were 19 suspected cases of Yellow Fever (YF) reported from 15 LGAs in seven states. None were laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded

Actions

To date:

• National YF multi-partner Technical Working Group (TWG) continues to coordinate activities across states.

• Daily monitoring and analysis of surveillance data across the country to guide response activities

Planned:

• Continue supporting affected states across all pillars of response

• Continue harmonisation of surveillance and laboratory data ongoing


Cholera

Key points

• There were 431 suspected cases of cholera reported from 11 LGAs in four states (Bayelsa – 151, Kano – 231, Kebbi – 28 & Nasarawa – 21). Four were laboratory confirmed and thirteen deaths were recorded

Actions

To date

• National Cholera Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group (TWG) is monitoring all states and supporting affected states

• Developed the 2021 Annual Cholera Preparedness and Response Work plan

• Cholera jingles being aired in English and local languages across the country

Planned:

• Continue follow up and monitoring of non-reporting states

• Build capacity for sample collection, transportation, and laboratory diagnosis across states


Measles

Key points

• There were 367 suspected cases of measles reported from 68 LGAs in 18 states and FCT. None were laboratory confirmed and one death was recorded

Actions

To date

• National Measles TWG is closely monitoring measles surveillance data and providing feedback to relevant agencies and development partners

• Ongoing weekly surveillance and laboratory data harmonisation

Planned:

• Intensify follow up with states to update and transmit line list

• Continue monthly measles surveillance data review


Monkeypox

Key points

• There was no suspected case of monkeypox in the reporting week

Actions

To date

• National Monkeypox Technical Working Group (TWG) is monitoring activities in all states

Planned:

• Enhance surveillance for monkeypox in high burden states

• Continue harmonisation of the national line list and SORMAS data


Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)

Key points

• There were 37 suspected cases of AFP reported from 32 LGAs in 17 states and FCT. None were laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded


National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance


Avian Influenza (H5 series)

Key points

• There were seven confirmed cases so far. However, there was no reported case in week 14

Actions

To date:

• A multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to coordinate the response

• All confirmed seven human positive samples have been shipped to WHO coordinating centre for further lab analysis

Planned:

• Continue to intensify surveillance activities and monitor contacts across the country

• Conduct risk assessment at the national level


Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

Actions

To date:

• National COVID-19 multi-partner Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to coordinate response activities across states

• Finalised the reviewed the National Incident Action Plan

• Continued follow up with states for daily reporting, contact tracing and resolution of key challenges

• Disseminated the WHO Global Webinar series for IPC across states

Planned:

• Deploy antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) kits and sample collection materials to the selected states

• Intensify genomic surveillance activities

• Conduct WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) assessment across all health facilities

• Finalise Local Government Area (LGA) / State transmission categorisation


Timeliness and Completeness of Reports


Timeliness and Completeness of Reports by State

Highlight of the week

  • Summary of Incidents
  • Lassa Fever
  • Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM)
  • Yellow Fever
  • Cholera
  • Measles
  • Monkeypox
  • Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)
  • National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance
  • Avian Influenza (H5 series)
  • Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
  • Timeliness and Completeness of Reports
  • Timeliness and Completeness of Reports by State

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