NCDC Keeps Mum As Disease Outbreak Kills 30 In Zamfara

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has come under scrutiny over its inability to provide timely information on the reported outbreak of an unidentified illness in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where about 30 deaths have reportedly been recorded.

Despite growing public concern and speculation linking the illness to Ebola, the national disease surveillance agency has yet to provide clarification on the situation, leaving questions about the nature of the illness, the extent of its spread and the national response.

The development has raised concerns about public access to timely and authoritative information during a potential public health emergency, particularly amid Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to contain the risk of imported Ebola Virus Disease.

While the Zamfara State epidemiologist, Dr Ahmad Muhammad Gusau, dismissed reports of an Ebola outbreak, he confirmed that the state had recorded about 30 deaths since the onset of the illness.

Gusau, who spoke exclusively with LEADERSHIP, said the cause of the illness had not been established, adding that affected persons presented with malaria-like symptoms.

He disclosed that the state Ministry of Health had deployed a rapid response team to Shinkafi to investigate the reports, while samples collected from patients had been sent to the National Reference Laboratory for testing.

According to him, the laboratory investigations are expected to determine whether the illness is dengue fever, chikungunya or another febrile disease.

He stressed that the state could not make a definitive pronouncement until laboratory results were available.

The epidemiologist also explained that some of the reported deaths involved patients with underlying conditions, including diabetes and hypertension, making it difficult to directly link all the fatalities to the unidentified illness.

However, the absence of a confirmed diagnosis has heightened the need for clear communication from the NCDC, which is responsible for coordinating national preparedness, surveillance and response to infectious disease threats.

Public health experts have consistently emphasised the importance of prompt risk communication during disease outbreaks to prevent misinformation, panic and delays in seeking medical attention.

With laboratory results still awaited, the public health situation in Shinkafi underscores the importance of effective coordination between state health authorities and the national disease control agency.

As of the time of filing this report, the NCDC had yet to provide an official explanation of the reported illness or clarify whether it had commenced any independent investigation into the situation.