The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has expressed significant concern over Nigeria’s limited laboratory diagnostic capabilities, which are contributing to frequent misdiagnoses and underreporting of Acute Febrile Illnesses (AFIs). This diagnostic shortfall often leads to inappropriate treatments and suboptimal health outcomes for patients.
This issue was highlighted during a media briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday, where the US CDC, in partnership with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and other stakeholders, outlined ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing AFI surveillance nationwide.
Acute Febrile Illness is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, sometimes accompanied by other symptoms. Oladipupo Ipadeola, Senior Public Health Specialist in Epidemiology and Surveillance at US CDC Nigeria, explained that AFIs can stem from various pathogens including bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. While children and young adults are most commonly affected, individuals of all ages remain vulnerable.
“AFI surveillance involves the systematic collection and analysis of data on sudden fever cases that typically have a brief duration,” Ipadeola stated.
He emphasized that Nigeria’s constrained laboratory infrastructure hampers accurate diagnosis, resulting in both misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. This situation leads to ineffective patient management. Key challenges include the absence of comprehensive policies, limited distribution of diagnostic centers, and inadequate testing capabilities. Addressing these gaps is vital for improving AFI detection and treatment.
Ipadeola further noted that AFI symptoms often overlap with other illnesses, complicating clinical diagnosis without proper laboratory confirmation. Enhancing surveillance systems is essential for early outbreak detection, gaining insights into disease patterns, and enabling prompt public health interventions.
He praised the Nigerian government’s efforts to date, highlighting initiatives such as malaria control programs, vaccination drives, and collaborative partnerships aimed at bolstering AFI-related activities. The US CDC and NCDC have jointly established sentinel surveillance sites across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, where over 11,000 samples have been tested for key diseases including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, Lassa fever, and COVID-19.
Support from the US CDC has also included upgrading laboratory technologies, introducing multiplex PCR testing methods, and providing specialized training for laboratory personnel at selected sites. Since August 2024, the NCDC has taken over coordination of the program, with the US CDC continuing to offer technical assistance, supply rapid diagnostic kits, and provide necessary reagents.
In her introductory remarks, Farah Husain, Programme Director at the Division of Global Health Protection, US CDC Nigeria, stressed the critical need to reinforce AFI surveillance systems.
“This initiative represents a comprehensive collaboration between the US CDC and NCDC to build a sustainable AFI surveillance framework in Nigeria,” she remarked.
“The primary goal is to enhance early case detection, improve laboratory diagnostic capacity, strengthen data quality, and ultimately enable faster, more effective outbreak responses.”
Fatima Saleh, Director of Surveillance at the NCDC, also highlighted the importance of increased advocacy and multi-level government cooperation to ensure interventions are grounded in solid evidence.
“It is imperative to fortify surveillance mechanisms, boost response capabilities, and expand community outreach,” Saleh stated. “Achieving this demands ongoing commitment, inclusive participation, and strong political will to safeguard public health.”
Consensus among experts at the event underscored that addressing deficiencies in diagnostic infrastructure, policy development, and testing accessibility is crucial for strengthening Nigeria’s AFI management and, by extension, enhancing the country’s overall disease surveillance and health security framework.
