We lost 16 out of 130 confirmed victims to Lassa fever in 2022 ―​​ Bauchi health commissioner

It has been declared that in the outgoing year 2022, Bauchi State recorded the death of 16 people following the Lassa fever outbreak in some LGAs across the state.

Consequently, to avoid such in the year 2023, the State has made adequate 15 percent budgetary allocation to the health sector in line with the Abuja declaration of universal health care delivery services.

The disclosure was made by the Commissioner of Health, Dr Sabiu Audu Gwalabe while briefing Journalists at the end of an extraordinary State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held at the Government House over the weekend.

Explaining further, he said that the state recorded 130 confirmed cases of Lassa fever across the state saying that out of the number, “16 of them died this year in 2022” , adding that “the mortality rate in the state is currently 12 per cent”.

According to him, “We had some outbreaks, especially the Lassa fever issues which were discussed. This year, we had a higher suspected number of cases. We had 130 confirmed cases and out of that, 16 of them died in 2022″.

The Commissioner added that, “The mortality rate of the state is 12.4 per cent even though it is dropping, there are some regions of the state which are affected more than others”.

Sabiu Gwalabe added that, “One of the local government areas that has the highest number of Lassa fever cases is Alkaleri, parts of Kirfi, then Bauchi and Tafawa Balewa.”

He then highlighted some of the achievements of the Bala Mohammed-led administration in the health sector in the year 2022 to include: the construction, renovation and equipping of 14 General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centers across the state.

The Commissioner added that, “In order to consolidate on the gains recorded in the sector, the government has ensured that in line with the Abuja declaration on universal healthcare coverage (UHC), 15 percent of the entire budget is allocated to the health sector in 2023”.

According to him, “by the time you add the health components of BASEPA (environmental sanitation); RUWASSA (provision of clean water) Agriculture (nutrition) to the allocation, we will be talking about 19 percent to the sector. This is far above the Abuja declaration”.

He also assured that all the problems noticed in the release of budgetary allocation in the year 2022 will be corrected so that same will not be repeated in 2023 stressing that there will be a paradigm shift in the implementation of the budget in 2023.

The Commissioner then said that, “In sha Allah, after our reelection for the second term, more will be done in the health sector for the good of the people of the state”.