Medical Care/Outreach on Endemic diseases

Endemic disease is always present in a particular population or region and is expected to remain so. Nigeria faces a significant burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Endemic diseases in Nigeria include:

Malaria: Malaria remains a major public health challenge, with an estimated 65.4 million cases in 2021. The incidence is 298.6 cases per 1000 population, resulting in 193,512 deaths. Nigeria accounts for approximately 30% of worldwide malaria deaths. Approximately 80% of severe malaria deaths occur in children under 5 years of age. Our foundation is as essential partner in the fight against endemic diseases, contributing to healthier communities and improved global health security.

We achieve our goals of Malaria endemic control by doing the following:

1. Community-Based Interventions: The Abigail-Jonathan Ajayi Foundation focuses on community health, providing prevention, education, and treatment services.  We promote hygiene practices, vaccination campaigns, and early disease detection. Long-lasting insecticidal Nets: we distribute bed nets treated with insecticides to protect against mosquito bites. Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS): We distribute insecticides to reduce mosquito populations indoors.
2. Research & Surveillance: We monitor disease patterns, track outbreaks, and collect real-time data for informed decision-making. Strengthen Supply Chain: We ensure a robust supply chain for medications,  vaccines, and medical equipment.
3. Awareness & Advocacy: We advocate for policies that address endemic diseases. We raise public awareness, reduce stigma, and promote Preventive measures

Cholera and Yellow Fever: Cholera is a bacterial disease that can quickly become fatal due to its severity and rapid progression. In severe cases, the rapid loss of fluids and electrolytes can lead to death within hours. The Cholera outbreak's primary cause has been contaminated water and inadequate sanitation. The Cholera outbreaks in Nigeria have been persistently on and off since January 2022. There have been over 28,000 cumulative reported cases with a case-fatality ratio of 2.5%

Most recently, this year 2024 data from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) showed that Nigeria recorded over 1,141 suspected and 65 confirmed cases of cholera, resulting in over 30 deaths from 1 January to 11 June in 30 states. Yellow fever is a viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of specific infected mosquitoes like Aedes and Haemagogus species.

Severe symptoms of yellow fever include high fever, jaundice, bleeding, liver and kidney failure, shock, and death. Since September 2017, yellow fever cases have been reported across several states in Nigeria. From January to August 2021, a total of 1,312 suspected cases were reported in 367 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The affected states include Enugu, Anambra, Benue, Delta, Oyo, Niger and Osun.

Nigeria has documented gaps in population immunity against yellow fever. The national immunization coverage for yellow fever was 54% in 2020, below the recommended threshold of 80%. Nigeria is a high-risk country for yellow fever and is recognized as a high-priority country to the global Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) Strategy.

1. Ensure access to safe water for communities with high risk: Boil water and store it in a clean covered container.
2. Community Awareness: Door-to-door visits, awareness campaigns, and educational programs.  Involve Schools, women groups, and youths to inform communities about Prevention methods because a collaborative effort involving individuals, communities, and agencies is essential to combat Cholera effectively. To combat yellow fever and reduce its impact in Nigeria, we have employed the following strategies: Vaccination campaigns: with support /partnership with concerned agencies, we implement Preventive campaigns nationwide, targeting at-risk communities.  Encourage people to get vaccinated before traveling to endemic areas. Raise public awareness about yellow fever prevention through media platforms. Educate communities on hygiene practices and early detection.