Africa Health Report

Lassa Fever Cases Rise as NCDC Confirms 66 Infections Health workers respond as Lassa fever kills 162 Nigerians in 2025

Lassa Fever Cases Rise as NCDC Confirms 66 Infections

Korede Abdullah July 11, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – Lassa fever cases in Nigeria are rising again, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease...

Just In: Oyo School Abduction Victims Regain Freedom Rescued pupils and teachers from the Oyo school abduction after regaining their freedom.

Just In: Oyo School Abduction Victims Regain Freedom

Korede Abdullah July 10, 2026

IBADAN, Nigeria – All victims of the Oyo school abduction, including pupils, teachers and the school principal...

Ekiti Approves New Benefits for Headmasters-General Young farmers working on mechanised farmland in Ekiti State

Ekiti Approves New Benefits for Headmasters-General

Mirian Gom July 10, 2026

ADO-EKITI, Nigeria – Ekiti basic education receives a leadership boost after Governor Biodun Oyebanji approved a consolidated...

FAAN Denies 2020 Rule for Airport Taxis FAAN Tightens Ebola Screening at Nigeria Airports

FAAN Denies 2020 Rule for Airport Taxis

Oluwafunbi Bello July 10, 2026

LAGOS, Nigeria – The FAAN airport taxi policy does not require operators to replace their vehicles with...

NEMA Blames Blocked Drains for Cross River Floods Flooded communities in Calabar as NEMA officials assess damage after heavy rainfall.

NEMA Blames Blocked Drains for Cross River Floods

Edino Chubiyo Cornelius July 10, 2026

CALABAR, Nigeria – The Cross River flooding that submerged homes, displaced residents and reportedly claimed two lives...

UNICAL Refunds NELFUND Loans to 1,089 Students University of Calabar officials provide an update on NELFUND tuition refunds for students.

UNICAL Refunds NELFUND Loans to 1,089 Students

Edino Chubiyo Cornelius July 10, 2026

CALABAR, Nigeria – The UNICAL NELFUND refunds programme has reimbursed tuition payments to 1,089 students, while another...

TETFund Opens National Research Fair to Nigerian Innovators TETFund National Research Fair 2026

TETFund Opens National Research Fair to Nigerian Innovators

Mirian Gom July 10, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has opened participation for its 2026 National Research...

Academy Urges Action on Maternal Mortality Academy of Medical Sciences

Academy Urges Action on Maternal Mortality

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – The maternal mortality in Nigeria crisis remains unacceptable and requires urgent action alongside stronger...

El-Rufai’s Wife Warns of Healthcare Intimidation

Only 5% of Fevers Are Malaria LAGOS, Nigeria - Only five per cent of patients presenting with fever in Lagos are confirmed to have malaria, prompting the state government to overhaul its approach to diagnosing and treating febrile illnesses, Health Commissioner Akin Abayomi says. Speaking after a fever management session hosted by the World Bank Nigeria Country Office, Abayomi said findings from the World Bank-supported IMPACT Project show that routinely treating every fever as malaria is fuelling misdiagnosis, unnecessary drug use and antimicrobial resistance. The study assessed nearly 78,000 patients with fever across 392 health facilities, including community pharmacies and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor outlets, making it Nigeria's largest field evaluation of malaria diagnosis. According to Abayomi, malaria was historically diagnosed in about 70 per cent of fever cases, but laboratory testing found the actual prevalence to be only five per cent. "For decades, fever has become synonymous with malaria in our communities. Today, the evidence tells a different story," he said. He said the findings were confirmed using World Health Organization-accredited malaria rapid diagnostic tests, validated through expert microscopy and polymerase chain reaction testing. The commissioner announced that Lagos has adopted quality-assured Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) as the first-line diagnostic tool for all suspected malaria cases. The state is also working with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to expand access to accredited malaria test kits in community pharmacies and medicine vendor outlets. Abayomi said Lagos has introduced a new fever management strategy built on the principle of "Test. Treat. Track." Under the approach, every patient with fever will receive laboratory testing before treatment begins, while confirmed malaria cases will trigger surveillance and environmental interventions to reduce transmission. He stressed that patients who test negative for malaria should be assessed for other illnesses, including dengue fever, Lassa fever, respiratory viral infections, bacterial diseases and inflammatory conditions. "Perhaps the most important message is this: A negative malaria test is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of finding the true cause of a patient's illness," Abayomi said.

El-Rufai’s Wife Warns of Healthcare Intimidation

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – Healthcare intimidation in Nigeria could deepen the country’s medical workforce crisis if doctors are...

Only 5% of Fevers Are Malaria Healthcare workers and officials during a Lagos health sector briefing on doctors’ welfare reforms.

Only 5% of Fevers Are Malaria

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

LAGOS, Nigeria – Only five per cent of patients presenting with fever in Lagos are confirmed to...

Year: 2026

Lassa Fever Cases Rise as NCDC Confirms 66 Infections

Just In: Oyo School Abduction Victims Regain Freedom

Ekiti Approves New Benefits for Headmasters-General

FAAN Denies 2020 Rule for Airport Taxis

NEMA Blames Blocked Drains for Cross River Floods

UNICAL Refunds NELFUND Loans to 1,089 Students

TETFund Opens National Research Fair to Nigerian Innovators

Academy Urges Action on Maternal Mortality

El-Rufai’s Wife Warns of Healthcare Intimidation

Only 5% of Fevers Are Malaria

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