Lassa Fever: Kano losses two doctors ― FG

The Federal government has confirmed at least 41 people, including two doctors at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) to have died of Lassa fever in parts of the country since the beginning of 2020.

The two doctors, Late Dr Habib Musa Muhammad, Consultant Anesthesiologist and a House Officer, Late Dr Ummukulthum Abba were reported dead after operating on a pregnant woman who was a primary carrier of the Lassa fever disease.

The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Ehanire made the disclosure on Tuesday during a press briefing at the ministry’s secretariat in Abuja said there were at least 258 confirmed cases recorded across 19 states in the country.

The Minister, in a press statement by Head Media and Public Relations, Ministry of health, Enefaa Bob-Manuel, who was on this visit with a team of Directors from the ministry to sympathise with the families of the deceased said, ‘it saddened FG not only because those who lost their lives were Nigerian citizens, but also because they died in the line of duty ‘.

ALSO READ: Unemployment, inflation bedevilling tax system in Nigeria ― Prof Ajibola

The Minister likened them to ‘soldiers in the war front who lose their lives in defending the country’ and described their death as ‘very unfortunate’.

He said that it was particularly unknown in Kano State since 89% of all the cases are from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi states. The next most prevalent he added, are Bauchi, Plateau and Taraba.

The Minister said that Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) was working very closely with the Department of Public Health of Kano State Government and Kano State Ministry of Health to ensure that measures put for quick and rapid diagnosis and treatment of the disease in the state.

Dr Ehanire reiterated that ‘we have brought in treatment commodities, medicines used for treating this particular disease and also personnel protective equipment materials’.

The Minister declared that the case mortality rate of states where Lassa fever is rampant had reduced from 30% to 15% and that research is on to find a final solution to the rampaging virus in the country.