The WHO clearly defines Yellow Fever as an acute viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. This condition is characterized by fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue (WHO, 2019).
In the first half of 2019, over 2,000 suspected yellow fever cases were reported in about 506 of 774 LGAs in Nigeria (WHO, 2019) posing a significant threat to the Nigerian populace. Following the recent outbreak on the 1st August 2019, 169 suspected cases and 23 deaths have been reported across 5 Northern states so far (Nigeria Centre For Disease Control report, 2019). An 18% case fatality rate was reported in Edo in 2018; earlier this year, the death rate due to yellow fever was up to 40% in Ebonyi state (NCDC, 2019).
In an attempt to mitigate this raging epidemic, Nigeria was included as one of the 40 priority countries for the EYE (Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics) Strategy (WHO, 2017). To ensure the safety of Nigerians, public health professionals, local civil society organisations and the Government are teaming up with international organisations to eliminate Yellow fever by 2026.
What are the best possible ways to tackle these sporadic outbreaks in Nigeria? If you were to propose a community intervention to eradicate Yellow Fever, what would it be?