Despite the fears and death caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic across the globe, the Ondo State government has continued to show commitment in its fight against the spread of Lassa fever in the state. The state Commissioner for Health, Jibayo Adeyeye, also confirmed that the number of people dying from the disease in the state was more than from COVID-19.
The disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality, transmitted by the multi-mammate rat (mastomys natalensis), one of the most common rats in equatorial Africa. The disease was first discovered in a town called Lassa in Borno State, Nigeria in 1969. In Ondo State alone, no fewer than 80 people have been killed by the fever in the last one year, while the country recorded a total of 806 confirmed cases with 204 deaths.
As the dry season approached, the Ondo State government rolled out various programmes in order to alert residents of the state, especially those from the northern senatorial district on the need to protect themselves from the rodents. Dr Adeyeye, during a road walk sensitisation on the eradication of Lassa fever appealed to residents to always maintain proper hygiene by ensuring that rodents which are the carriers of the disease are exterminated from their surroundings.
According to him, “of all the confirmed cases of the disease in Nigeria 75 per cent are from three states with Ondo State topping the chart. We are in an unfortunate situation with respect to COVID-19. It has killed 41 people in Ondo State from January last year till now. But Lassa has killed more than 80 people, 18 per cent of Lassa fever victims have died compared to one percent of COVID-19. It has been with us for long. It is when the dry season starts that we usually experience the issue of Lassa fever. Ondo State is one of the states in Nigeria where the disease is rampant. This is a serious situation which must not be taken lightly. We are determined about this disease, so we want to eradicate it.
“Unlike COVID-19, Lassa can be prevented if we eradicate rodents from our homes and surroundings. Rodenticide is distributed free of charge which must not be sold. It is only meant to be applied in homes to eradicate rats. If we don’t kill rats, they will kill us.
“Owo and Ose are the epicentres of the disease in the state, hence the commencement of the campaign against the disease. The two local government areas have recorded the highest number of cases of Lassa fever. It is a very serious health challenge.”
To eradicate Lassa fever, the state government distributed 20,000 rodenticides freely to residents in order to exterminate rodents.
At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, which is the only medical facility in the state certified to handle Lassa fever cases, it was gathered that the Lassa ward within the facility and the personnel at the ward have repeatedly demonstrated commitment towards tackling the disease.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, head, Infection Control and Research Centre (FMC), Owo, Dr. Ayodeji Oluwafemi, explained that despite free diagnosis and treatment of Lassa fever, most patients believed they were being used for medical research and usually abstained from the hospital.
Dr. Ayodeji said, “the number one challenge is sometimes the attitude of the patients’ relatives. Some of them don’t want to corporate with us. They want to their relatives discharged from the hospital. Some of them will complain about lack of money. When we tell them not to worry about money, they begin to suspect that there is something we want to do with their relatives. That is the number one challenge. If only we can get their full support. We’ve managed so many cases that have actually recovered.
“Another challenge that we also have is late presentation of some of these patients. They would have taken them round so many hospitals, sometimes to homes of herbalist.
“It’s when the condition has actually deteriorated and the patients have developed complications that is the they bring them to the hospital. And at that point, the prognosis is usually poor. So most of the deaths that we actually recorded were as a result of late presentation.”
However, some of the survivors recounted their experiences. According to one of them, Mr Michael Olonite, it was a terrible experience.
Olonite said that “in 2019, I visited one of our family friends at Ogbese here. I discovered that one of their daughters was sick. She was having high fever. So, I had to assist them in taking her to the health centre for treatment.
“She was later transferred to Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, where it was discovered that she had contracted Lassa fever. With me having had contact with the lady, I suspected that I must have been indirectly infected.
“When my temperature was increasing, I became extremely weak with loss of appetite. I experienced dizziness as well as reddish eyes. My temperature was as if I was placed very close to a blazing fire. I had sleepless nights with pains all over my body. I was one of the luckiest patients at the hospital.”
He lamented the stigmatization attached to Lassa fever patients as a serious issue which must be attended to by government at all levels.
The state epidemiologist, Dr Stephen Fagbemi, said Lassa fever if not urgently addressed, could spread to other areas of the state, noting that the age group affected by the disease was usually between 21-30 years.
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