Infectious disease outbreak preparedness and response in Nigeria: history, limitations and recommendations for global health policy and practice

Testimony J Olumade; Oluwafolajimi A Adesanya; Iyanuoluwa J Fred-Akintunwa; David O Babalola; Judith U Oguzie; Olusola A Ogunsanya; Uwem E George; Oluwawapelumi D Akin-Ajani; Damilola G Osasona; Testimony J Olumade; Oluwafolajimi A Adesanya; Iyanuoluwa J Fred-Akintunwa; David O Babalola; Judith U Oguzie; Olusola A Ogunsanya; Uwem E George; Oluwawapelumi D Akin-Ajani; Damilola G Osasona

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2020057

AIMS Public Health

2020, Volume 7, Issue 4: 736-757. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2020057

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Review

Infectious disease outbreak preparedness and response in Nigeria: history, limitations and recommendations for global health policy and practice

1.
African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
2.
Department of Biological Sciences, Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun, Nigeria
3.
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
4.
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Received: 08 July 2020 Accepted: 18 September 2020 Published: 22 September 2020

Effective disease outbreak response has historically been a challenging accomplishment for the Nigerian health system due to an array of hurdles not unique to Nigeria but also found in other African nations which share its large size and complexity. However, the efficiency of the response mounted against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak of 2014 proved that indeed, though challenging, proactive and effective outbreak response is not impossible. With over 20 public health emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks between 2016 and 2018 alone, Nigeria is one of only five members of the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region to report five or more public health events per annum. There are many lessons that can be drawn from Nigeria's experience in handling outbreaks of infectious diseases. In this review, we discuss the history of emerging and re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks in Nigeria and explore the response strategies mounted towards each. We also highlight the significant successes and note-worthy limitations, which we have then utilized to proffer policy recommendations to strengthen the Nigerian public health emergency response systems.
- infectious diseases,
- outbreak preparedness,
- outbreak response,
- global health policy,
- Nigeria
Citation: Testimony J Olumade, Oluwafolajimi A Adesanya, Iyanuoluwa J Fred-Akintunwa, David O Babalola, Judith U Oguzie, Olusola A Ogunsanya, Uwem E George, Oluwawapelumi D Akin-Ajani, Damilola G Osasona. Infectious disease outbreak preparedness and response in Nigeria: history, limitations and recommendations for global health policy and practice[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2020, 7(4): 736-757. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2020057

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Abstract

Effective disease outbreak response has historically been a challenging accomplishment for the Nigerian health system due to an array of hurdles not unique to Nigeria but also found in other African nations which share its large size and complexity. However, the efficiency of the response mounted against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak of 2014 proved that indeed, though challenging, proactive and effective outbreak response is not impossible. With over 20 public health emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks between 2016 and 2018 alone, Nigeria is one of only five members of the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region to report five or more public health events per annum. There are many lessons that can be drawn from Nigeria's experience in handling outbreaks of infectious diseases. In this review, we discuss the history of emerging and re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks in Nigeria and explore the response strategies mounted towards each. We also highlight the significant successes and note-worthy limitations, which we have then utilized to proffer policy recommendations to strengthen the Nigerian public health emergency response systems.

Author's contribution

TJO conceptualized and designed the study. All authors contributed to the article searching and writing of the review. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflicts of interest in this paper.

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