Nigeria’s healthcare system is once again under serious pressure as Lassa fever continues to spread across the country, killing at least 146 people and infecting dozens of frontline health workers who are trying to save lives.
What makes this outbreak even more disturbing is that doctors, nurses, and other medical staff are now becoming victims themselves. People who should be protected are instead being exposed, and many in the health sector say this points to a deeper failure in the system.
According to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the country has recorded 582 confirmed cases out of 3,222 suspected infections within just 11 weeks. Out of those, 146 people have died. Taraba has recorded the highest number of deaths with 40, followed by Ondo with 31 and Bauchi with 25.
The danger is not limited to patients alone. The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says at least 25 of its members have been infected, while the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says no fewer than 37 health workers have been affected nationwide. At least three doctors have died.
For many in the medical field, that is the most painful part of the story.
Lassa fever is not a new disease in Nigeria. It comes almost every year, especially during the dry season, and health authorities are already familiar with how it spreads. That is why many doctors are now asking a difficult question: why are health workers still so exposed?
The virus is mainly spread through contact with food or household items contaminated by rats, but it can also spread from person to person, especially in hospitals where protective equipment is lacking or not properly used.
Doctors say the rise in infections among medical workers shows serious lapses in infection control. In some hospitals, there are not enough protective kits. In others, the system is too weak to respond quickly enough before the disease spreads further.
The President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Bala Audu, described the outbreak as one of the worst in recent years. He said the disease is largely preventable, but poor protection and weak enforcement are putting lives at risk.
He explained that every health facility should have proper protective gear and ensure that workers use it at all times. But in reality, that is not always the case. Some facilities do not have enough supplies, while in other places, health workers are forced to treat highly infectious patients under unsafe conditions.
The National Secretary of NARD, Shuaibu Ibrahim, also criticised the government’s response, saying authorities should have learned from previous outbreaks by now. According to him, the current level of infection among doctors is unacceptable.
He said one of the earliest cases in this outbreak involved a doctor who later died, yet the warning signs were not treated with enough urgency. Months later, the infections have continued to rise.
Across several states, the situation remains worrying.
In Ondo State, which has long been one of the major hotspots for Lassa fever, more than 20 people have reportedly died, while many others are still receiving treatment. In Benue, officials say the state has recorded 400 suspected cases, 55 confirmed infections, and 14 deaths. Even more troubling, 11 health workers have reportedly been infected there alone.
The Commissioner for Health in Benue, Paul Ogwuche, confirmed that some of the infections happened through human-to-human transmission, especially inside healthcare settings. He said two doctors, two nurses, and a hospital porter were among those who died.
That alone tells you how serious the crisis has become.
Beyond the numbers, this is a story of a country once again being tested by a disease it should be better prepared for. Families are losing loved ones. Hospitals are struggling. And the very people risking their lives to help others are now being buried too.
For many Nigerians, the fear is no longer just about catching Lassa fever. It is also about what happens if they walk into a hospital that is already stretched, under-equipped, and overwhelmed.
Until stronger preventive systems are put in place, this outbreak may continue to expose not just a virus, but the cracks in Nigeria’s entire public health response.