Benue State University Teaching Hospital Moves To Combat #Lassafever

Posted on: Fri 02-02-2018

As part of efforts to curtail to outbreak of lassa fever in the country, the management of Benue State University Teaching Hospital Makurdi today organised a workshop to update staff about the disease.

According to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, lassa fever has killed 16 people in Ondo, Ebonyi, Nassarawa, Kogi and Benue State with 61 cases confirmed within the last one month.

Associate Professor of Public Health, Dr Mrs Pricilla Utoo while delivering a lecture titled "health of health workers in Lassa fever outbreak" disclosed that 10 out of the 16 deaths recorded so far were health workers hence the need for staff the be vigilant, alert and have a high index of suspicion.

She said the disease was mainly transmitted by mastomys rats when eaten or following contact with their faeces, which then can be transmitted from person to person.

Dr Mrs Utoo consequently advised members of the public against the consumption of rats and other rodents which are a delicacy in Benue state.

Another speaker, Dr Patrick Echekwube said patients with lassa fever experience fever, headache, chest pain, diarrhoea and bleeding from two or more sites in the body. He however stated that over 80 percent infected persons may not show any symptoms.

Declaring the workshop open earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Terrumun Swende assured staff that adequate measures were in place to handle suspected cases while ensuring the safety of health workers involved in their care.

He appreciated the Executive Governor of Benue State, Dr Samuel Ortom and the state commissioner of Health and human services, Dr Mrs Cecillia Ojabo for their commitment and support to the facility to tackle the outbreak of Monkey pox last year and now lassa fever.

The workshop is part of the hospital's monthly update training organised by the Continous Medical Education unit of the institution. It was attended by over 200 staff.

Benue Command Center

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