Nigeria is one of the countries responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This is being operationally led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 providing the needed political and steering support. Given the novelty of the virus, one of the key priority areas of response has been to improve knowledge through research activities and epidemiological studies. This is in addition to other key areas such as surveillance, laboratory, case management, risk communication, points of entry, infection prevention and control etc.
Through the NCDC’s research activities around COVID-19, we have been able to contribute to the current body of knowledge both at national and global levels. Studies have revealed many contributory factors to the high number of COVID-19 infection among Nigerians. The current level of control of COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria can also be partly attributed to the continuous application of strategies based on scientific evidence. The implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) has been a key driver of success in the control of COVID-19 outbreak globally. However, there have been variations in compliance to the NPIs in various countries of the world including Nigeria. Understanding the wider ecological factors that influence people’s perception of risk, perception of public health interventions, and willingness and ability to adhere to the NPIs, is the core goal of the Data4COVID19 Africa Challenge project in Nigeria. The challenge is a data science project funded by l’Agence française de dévelopement (AFD) in partnership with Expertise France and The GovLab.
A call for proposal released in December 15, 2020, received 83 applications from 22 African countries out of which only 7 applications were selected for funding through a rigorous competitive process. Nigeria, through a collaboration between the NCDC and the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL) emerged one of the 7 awardees. The project seeks to reanalyse multiple non-traditional datasets collected at various phases of the COVID-19 outbreak to generate evidence to guide policy and practice in the control of the pandemic.
The NCDC-CMUL project titled “Understanding the facilitators and barriers to compliance with non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 preventive measures in Nigeria†was launched through an inception meeting held in Transcorp Hilton on June 25, 2021. The meeting was well attended by various stakeholders such as the Nigerian Governors Forum, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Education, National Orientation Agency, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, World Health Organisation, United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, etc. The Guest of honour, Honourable Minister of State for Education, Dr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, performed the ceremonial unveiling of the project plaque and expressed government’s commitment to implement the research findings. The 6-month project seeks to address five key questions in Nigeria:
1. What are the social, economic and political drivers of people’s compliance with Federal Government of Nigeria’s stay home policy?
2. How does the financial realities of Nigerians influence their response to COVID-19 safety protocols?
3. What places are Nigerians likely to visit, irrespective of COVID-19 government’s stay home policy and how can such places be better organised to reduce infection risks?
4. What are the changes in public risk perception and risky behaviours through the phases (first and second waves) of the outbreak and the relationship between risky behaviours to the trend of COVID-19 infection?
5. How has government’s non-pharmaceutical initiatives (NPI) affected public trust in government and people’s compliance with safety protocols?
An important output from the inception meeting was the sensitisation of stakeholders and demand creation for the research outputs. The critical next step is to proceed with relevant data analysis as informed by important deliberations and inputs during the meeting. We are grateful to AFD for this partnership geared towards providing more in-depth knowledge on COVID-19.
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
Key points
â— There were 60 suspected cases, four were laboratory confirmed and one death was recorded from three LGAs in two states
Actions
To date:
â— Conducted 2021 Lassa fever (LF) high burden states preparedness/response engagement meeting
â— Dissemination of reviewed case management and safe burial practices guidelines
â— 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:
â— Finalise LF five-year strategic plan
Key points
â— There was one suspected cases of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) reported from Ogbomosho North LGA in Oyo state. None was laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded.
Actions
To date:
â— National CSM TWG meets weekly to review reports from states and plan appropriately
â— Enhanced surveillance in all states
Planned:
â— Continue harmonisation of the national line list and SORMAS data
â— Continue to ensure that states reporting cases send their line lists and collect CSM samples
Key points
â— There were 24 suspected cases of Yellow Fever (YF) reported from 21 LGAs in 14 states. None were laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded
Actions
To date:
â— National YF multi-partner Technical Working Group (TWG) continues to coordinate activities across states.
â— Ongoing plans to strengthen orientation of at-risk states on YF surveillance
â— Ensured availability of reagents and consumables in all testing laboratories
Planned:
â— Continue monitoring and analysis of YF (Yellow fever) data across all states and FCT to guide response
â— Continue coordination of prompt transportation samples to the laboratories
Key points
◠There were 376 suspected cases of cholera reported from 29 LGAs in four states (Kano – 175, Kwara – 7, Plateau – 188 & Yobe – 6). Three were laboratory confirmed and four deaths were recorded
Actions
To date
â— National Cholera Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group (TWG) is monitoring all states and supporting affected states
◠National Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) with response commodities were deployed to support the response in four states – Benue, Kano, Kaduna and Zamfara States
â— Cholera jingles being aired in English and local languages across the country
Planned:
â— Continue follow up and monitoring of non-reporting states
â— Build capacity for sample collection, transportation, and laboratory diagnosis across states
Key points
â— There were 552 suspected cases of Measles reported from 82 LGAs in 20 states & FCT. None were laboratory confirmed and five deaths were recorded
Actions
To date
â— National Measles TWG is closely monitoring measles surveillance data and providing feedback to relevant agencies and development partners
â— Ongoing weekly surveillance and laboratory data harmonisation
Planned:
â— Intensify follow up with states to update and transmit line list
â— Continue monthly measles surveillance data review
Key points
◠There were three suspected cases of Monkeypox reported from three LGAs in three states (Delta – 1, Lagos – 1 & Rivers – 1). Two case were laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded
Actions
To date
â— Enhanced Surveillance ongoing in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa States
â— National Monkeypox Technical Working Group (TWG) is monitoring activities in all states
Planned:
â— Enhance surveillance for monkeypox in high burden states
â— Continue harmonisation of the national line list and SORMAS data
Key points
â— There were 93 suspected cases of AFP reported from 77 LGAs in 22 states and FCT. None were laboratory confirmed and no death was recorded.
Actions
To date:
â— National COVID-19 multi-partner Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to coordinate response activities across states
â— Concluded Epidemic Control (EpiC) project aimed at distributing and installing the 200 ventilators donated by the United States Government
â— Ongoing workshop on multimodal approach to hand hygiene improvement and compliance in health facilities
â— Conducted quarterly commodity monitoring and stock verification exercise at the central public health laboratory (CPHL) Lagos
Planned:
â— Deploy antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) kits and sample collection materials to the selected states
â— Intensify genomic surveillance activities
â— Conduct WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) assessment across all health facilities
â— Finalise Local Government Area (LGA) / State transmission categorisation
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