Enugu gets Lassa fever treatment centre

THE Enugu State Government has established a Lassa fever treatment centre at the State Teaching Hospital (ESUTH).

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Fintan Echochin, said this in Enugu on Tuesday.

He explained that none of those who had both primary and secondary contact with a victim of Lassa fever visited the state with the disease.

Echochin pointed out that after 21 days of surveillance and treatment on all those who came in contact with the victim were free from the disease.

He added that they were still at the treatment centre under the watch of specialised doctors in epidemiology.

The commissioner explained that the singular case of Lassa fever that was recorded last week came at a time when the state had positioned itself with the treatment centre.

“This singular case came at a time when we have positioned ourselves by having a treatment centre attached to the ESUTH hospital, where confirmed cases are treated for the safety of relations and health workers.

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“Before the outbreak of the Lassa fever, the state government had already secured Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) partnership in the setting up of an ultra-modern public health emergency operation centre.

“The centre is equipped with Information Technology and Communication gadgets which helps integrating information from local government to local government, from state to state and to national levels,’’ he said.

Echochin said that the state government had trained Surveillance and Notification Officers in the 17 local government areas of the state.

He said that the officers, who were mobilised with motorcycles and phones, usually communicate with their boss, the State Epidemiologist, who helps in the coordination of effective health service delivery in the state.

He revealed that all those who had contact with the deceased were under surveillance, adding that the state government got them through effective contact tracing.

He called on residents to always cover their food and keep their environment clean and as well do away with rodents of any kind so as to avoid being affected with the disease.