Lassa fever kills 63 Nigeria, spread to 17 states – Minister

 

LASSA FEVER KILLS 63 NIGERIA: The Nigeria Federal Government said Tuesday that Lassa fever has claimed 63 lives out of 212 suspected cases reported from 62 local government areas in affected states.

 From Left: Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Ado Muhammed; Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Mr Mike Omeri; Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, and  Minister of Information And Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,   during a Joint Ministerial News Conference to give update on the outbreak of Lassa Fever in Nigeria

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, confirmed this at the
emergency National Council of Health meeting in Abuja on the outbreak of
the disease.

Mr. Adewole listed the 17 affected states as Bauchi, Niger, Taraba,
Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Nasarawa, Lagos, Delta,
Ekiti, Ebonyi, Zamfara and Kogi as well as the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT).

He said there is high level of denial and conspiracy across some
states, adding that health managers should not deceive executives by
their pretence and silence.

The minister described the denial of Ebonyi to report five suspected cases and one death as conspiracy of denial.

He said every state should consider itself at risk and put measures to contain and prevent the disease.

Mr. Adewole said the federal government would maintain high level of
alert all year round to celebrate Lassa fever obituary next year.

“With the resources available we will collectively eliminate the disease in Nigeria soon.

“We have special facilities around us and we have adequate human resource to address the challenge.

“We will strengthen the Primary Health Care Centres across the country to enhance the surveillance mechanism,’’ he said.

The minister said 5,000 Primary Health Care centres would be activated before the end of 2016.

“A committee had already been set up to map out health care centres across the country would benefit from the programme.

“At least one primary health care centre will be functional in a ward,’’ said Mr. Adewole.

In a related development, the minister announced that six most affected states will have Lassa fever diagnostic centres.

He said the states are Niger, Nasarawa, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi and Ondo states.

This is in addition to the six existing Lassa fever treatment centres.

According to him, the centres are Lassa fever Treatment Centre,
Irrua, Edo; University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno;
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

Others are Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), University
College Hospital Ibadan, and the National Centre for Disease Control,
Asokoro, Abuja.

(NAN) LASSA FEVER KILLS 63 NIGERIA: