Crusaderhotnews
By Maureen Nwine
Edo State Government has re-emphasised its determination to bring the ravaging Lassa fever to an end as reported cases of the dreaded fever hits 40.
Addressing Journalists, the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria stated “We have confirmed 12 new cases of Lassa fever in Edo State, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 40. With the new figures, we now have 28 persons, including 23 adults and five children who are currently receiving care at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.”
In a decisive move towards nipping the fatality rate, the State Government through the Ministry of Health has dispatched a total number of 200 Lassa treatment packs which contains all items a Lassa fever patient will require to commence the Lassa fever treatment.
In a chat with this reporter, the Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr. Stephenson Ojeifo made known that the State Government is leaving no stone unturned in fighting the Lassa fever outbreak to a standstill. He maintained that it was the goal of the State Government to maintain minimal percent fatality rate and ensure that there is round the clock care for the patients so far diagnosed and currently receiving treatment at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH).
The Director stated that in addition to the 200 Lassa Fever treatment packs dispatched are 2000 ribavirin injections and numerous number of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This is in a bid to ensure the patients receive adequate and appropriate treatment.
Dr. Ojeifo decried the unwillingness of the patients to access hospitals for proper treatment as a result of poor finances which he says is a major threat to our communities. In arresting this threat, the Ministry of Health had sensitized the clinicians in the communities on the symptoms to look out for so as to ensure that any patient that is suspected to be positive must be evacuated from the communities, properly monitored and sent to ISTH if such patients test positive to Lassa Fever.
Activities have also been scaled up at the Local Government Areas with intense sensitization on Environmental Sanitation, proper waste disposal, deratirazation and creating awareness about the Lassa fever as well as the preventive measures of the Lassa Fever in their communities. To forestall the incidents of patients patronizing patent medicine vendors instead of seeking standard healthcare, the State’s Ministry of Health will be holding a stakeholders meeting with patent medicine vendors involving Edo North and Edo Central Senatorial Zones at Ekpoma who are usually the first point of call of most individuals who present with cases of fever with the aim of sensitizing them on symptoms to look out for in the patients that patronize them.
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