Although outbreaks of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) are not frequent in West Africa, but as the parlance goes: a stitch in time saves nine.
Newsbreak.ng reports that there is no approved vaccine yet for MVD; however, several candidate MVD vaccines are in clinical trials. Bare in mind that this is a disease with a fatality ratio of up to 88%: almost nine out of 10 people who are infected with the Marburg virus could die.
Synopsis Of Marburg Virus Disease
The Marburg virus causes a rare, highly infectious disease and severe haemorrhagic fever (MVD) in humans and non-human primates just like the Ebola virus, its closest relation and the only other member of the Filoviridae family of viruses.
It is another example of a zoonosis such as Lassa fever, etc. The natural animal reservoir/host is fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus).
Following the transmission from infected animals to humans, it spreads in humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, and contaminated materials and surfaces.
MVD’s Preparedness And Surveillance
After its discovery in neighbouring Ghana in July 2022, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said that several measures are being put in place to prevent the outbreak of MVD.
Dr. Adejonwo Sheriff, one of the healthcare workers helping to contain the Marburg Virus Disease threat, spoke on public medical practitioners’ activities.
He explained that Nigeria has the resources (human, technical and laboratory) for prompt identification and management in the event the disease is recorded in the country.
“Here in Lagos, we have community informants which comprise faith-based homes, patient medicine vendors popularly called chemists, pharmacists, etc.
“These people are all trained to report cases if seen because before some people could go to the facility proper, they will have in one way or the other visited these people.
“And in the communities, we have the Obas, Baales, Iyalojas, Babalojas, Community Development Associations, and Ward Health Committees.
“All these people are coordinated at every local government level of the state by a Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO) who in turn report to the state. The DSNO works in collaboration with the health team of the Local Government Areas (LGAs).
“The information then moves from state to national, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international partners,” Dr Sheriff told this reporter.
More On Control
The investigation of cases is done by the DSNO with assistance from the community informants and focal persons in that area or ward.
The informant and surveillance focal person in that area gives the DSNO easy passage to carry on his investigation, giving situation reports, laboratory sampling, transportation and result feedback, for a proper action plan.
Most surveillance activities and case investigations are used for policies and decision-making on matters that call for immediate actions and future preparedness.
During the field investigation, the Surveillance Officer work to take all samples of materials necessary to make the outcome resourceful.
The official takes an environmental sample from canals as part of surveillance samples from areas where water channels are connected.
The water trap and catch process is to detect if there are infectious contents that could lead to an outbreak of conditions if such water overflows its boundaries into the residence communities around it.
During any outbreak, there are emergency operation committees made up of major stakeholders of the state and ministries.
Similarly, the strategy is replicated at the local government levels to discuss the next line of action and review daily progress and lapses in order to make concrete affirmation on resolutions.
Funding
The Director General (DG) of the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Professor Babatunde Salako, stressed the need for adequate funding to tackle Marburg Virus.
He said funding must be provided to research Marburg in the area of disease surveillance, prevention, detection and treatment.
Likewise, a former chairman of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), Lagos chapter, Dr. Tunji Akintade, stated that every state government needs funds to prepare for epidemic-prone disease as Marburg Virus.
He explained that in preparing for epidemics, funds will be needed for infrastructure, recruiting and training of personnel, building laboratories, disease surveillance and technology.
Dr Akintade adds that there is a need to ensure all cadres of health workers in a facility acquire knowledge of a looming pandemic including doctors, nurses, cleaners, front desk officers, and laboratory technicians.
“It is important for the government to budget for them. It is not during the pandemic that Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) training should be done,” Akintade said.
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