Weekly Epidemiological Report

May 2021 Week 21

Editoral

Building a strong workforce for national health security: NCDC Conducts BL3 PHEM Training

Posted: 20-06-2021 10:37:27 AM

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) continues to fulfil her mandate of protecting the health of Nigerians against deadly epidemic-prone diseases and other public health threats. With many outbreaks recorded and controlled in the past years, one of the key strategies employed has been timely coordination of response for effective management. This has been possible through establishment of Emergency Operations Centre at the national level. In 2017, a national Public Health Emergency Operation Centre (PHEOC) was established as the NCDC Incident Coordination Centre (ICC) to serve as the national public health intelligence and response coordination hub. Using the principle of the incident management system, the ICC is being operatiionalised to monitor signals and coordinate outbreak response.

Aside the national ICC, the NCDC has also supported all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria to establish and support state-level PHEOCs. We are proud of our state colleagues as they continue to leverage these structures to respond to and control public health emergencies in a timely and coordinated manner. The usefulness of these structures in the overall national and state-wide response to the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak cannot be over-emphasised.

In addition, the NCDC has continued to explore diverse opportunities and strategies to build the capacity of the critical mass of the national and sub-national frontline public health workforce. One of these is the public health emergency management (PHEM) basic level (BL) 3 programme recently established through partnership between the NCDC and US-Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention (US-CDC). This is the third in the series of tiered basic PHEM courses. The BL3 PHEM course is usually undertaken upon completion of online BL1 and BL2 courses.

In line with the above, the NCDC and US-CDC from 7th -12th June, 2021 conducted a Cohort 2 PHEM training for public health workforce drawn from State Ministries of Health from South-South and South East regions as well as from Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health. The overall objective of the training was to strengthen the capacity of both national and sub-national frontline responders on PHEM according to minimum common standards and global best practices.

Key outputs from the training were trained public health workforce with mastery of the PHEOC terminologies; appropriate application of the seven-step decision making process; PHEOC modes of operation; basic response management principles, etc.

Expansion and capacity building of the country’s public health workforce is an important aspect of disease preparedness activities. Hence, this training has provided additional pool of experts in the area of PHEM.

The NCDC remains committed to supporting capacity building of the national and states’ workforce for an effective coordination of outbreak preparedness and response for national health security.


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 56 suspected cases, five were laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded from three LGAs in Edo State

Actions

To date:

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

● Dissemination of 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 LF five-year strategic plan


Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM)

Key points

● There were nine suspected cases of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) reported from six LGAs in four states (Borno – 1, Katsina – 6, Sokoto – 1 & Yobe – 1). None were laboratory confirmed and one 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 31 suspected cases of Yellow Fever (YF) reported from 27 LGAs in 11 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.

● Ongoing plans to strengthen orientation of at-risk states on YF surveillance

● Ensured availability of reagents and consumables in all testing laboratories

Planned:

● Continue monitoring and analysis of YF (Yellow fever) data across all states and FCT to guide response

● Continue coordination of prompt transportation samples to the laboratories


Cholera

Key points

● There were 616 suspected cases of cholera reported from 29 LGAs in four states (Bauchi – 90, Kano – 310, Kwara – 43 & Plateau – 173). 30 cases were laboratory confirmed and eighteen 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 593 suspected cases of Measles reported from 84 LGAs in 19 states & FCT. One case was laboratory confirmed and five deaths were 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 were three suspected cases of Monkeypox reported from three LGAs in three states (Bayelsa – 1, Gombe -1 & Rivers – 1). One case was laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded

Actions

To date

● Enhanced Surveillance ongoing in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States

● 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 75 suspected cases of AFP reported from 70 LGAs in 22 states and FCT. None were laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded.


National Influenza Sentinel Surveillance


Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

Actions

To date:

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

● Continues to roll out Ag-RDT in collaboration with partners

● Held the virtual biweekly engagement with states teams with focus on scaling up and sustaining sample collection and testing and information sharing

● Communicated with state focal persons on improved preparedness for possible surge in cases

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
  • Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
  • Timeliness and Completeness of Reports
  • Timeliness and Completeness of Reports by State

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